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Lockman,    O.K. 

The  visiting  teacher  in  the-  jiinior 
high  school. 


Master's  thesis  in  education,  1925 


THE  VISITING  TEACHER  IN  THE  JUNIOR  HIGH  SCHOOL 

By 

Clouds ley  Morlngton  Lockman 
B.  S.    (Kansas  State  Teachers  College)   1917 

THESIS 

Submitted  in  partial  satisfaction  of  the  requirements  for  the  degree  of 

MASTER  OP  ARl'S 

in 

EDUCATION 

in  the 

GRADUATE  DIVISION 

of  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIK*  NIA 


Approved   .  .fTl.y.'.HeC-jt 

Coramittee  in  Charge 

Deposited  in  the  University  Library    .VrvVv^; . . . .  ."i 

Date  Librarian 


TABLE  OF  COBIENTS 

•  •  • 

List  of  fables i. 

Chapter  I. 
Introduction !• 

Chapter  II • 
The  fiackgroxmd  of  the  istoveaent .  5. 

Chapter  III • 
The  Situation  at  the  Sheraaa  <%znlor  High  School    °       10. 

Chapter  IV. 
How  the  Visiting  Teaohsr  Org^mised  the  Work  ...      14. 

Chapter  V. 
The  Manner  in  Khioh  the  Visiting  Teaoher  Handled 

the    Cases    .- ••      17. 

Chapter  VI. 
findings  of  the  Visiting  Teacher's  Wortc 24 « 

Chapter  VII. 
Office  Hecords  Studied ^^  • 

Chapter  VIII . 
Case  Stories 66* 

Chapter  IX. 
Observations  by  the  Teachers  and  Others 63. 

Chapter  X. 
Conclusion 67. 


LIST  Of  lAliLiS> 

I*  hm^Movm  glTCB  fbr  K«f«rrlng  oasos  to  the 

26 
Viaitiag  Taaehar   

29 

II.  AuadMiMnxt&l  LLffteulUM  Found  by  tto  ^sitiag  laaohar  • 

III .  TrwtUMnt  PTMcrlbed  for  ths  CasM  m  Ibund  by  th«  31 

Visiting  Teaehar     

IV.  llomt  BffMtdre  TrMttaant  Ibund  for  ths  CasM  as  Baportad 

S7 
to  tha  Vialtlx^  Taaehar  

39 
▼•  OutooiM  of  Caaaa  Aftar  Traataaat 

42 

VI.  Bstont  Caaaa  vwre  Adjustad 

VII.  Attituda  of  Pupils  and  ParonU  Towards  the  Visltli^ 

44 
Taaohar 

46 
VIII  •     l^istributlon  of  Pupils  Reported  as  to  Bacea 

47 
IX.        Distribution  of  Pupils  fiaported  as  to  Iluailiaa 

60 
X*  Pra~dalizMiuaata  vesrsus  Delinquents • 

XI.  Attendance,  proLiotiong  feiliirea,  Arop-outs  for  the 

53 
entire  aohool  over  a  period  of  five  years   .... 

XII .  Age  sr*uie  tablea  far  the  entire  sctiool  over  a  period  of 

56 
three  years   


•  •  « 


I. 


life  studiM  are  tmdm  of  th» 
of  priaons,  it  ftiipears  owr  and  ovar 
apdn  tha^  thmy  did  cot  gat  alox^  wall  i& 
aohooX*      lh«y  wara  ioaubordifiata^  iala,  tmaOt^ 
ato«  •••    It  aoold  aa«fa  as  if  tha  achool  had  tha 
powar,  if  it  bad  ti^>a  wisdom,  lorgaly  to  praevnt 
tiw  d— a^Ioi<»ant  of  oriaa  Ma&  ovlJBiMa.a.  •••  Ibe 
a«tool  alraady  kmra  too  wall  tha  p<Mu^ld.a  futura 
of  th»  boy  vltt  grova  raatlaaa  in  tbo  third  grtuia, 
atoala  la  tba  iburth  grade,  playa  truaat  in  tfaa 
flith  grada,  and  baocMiaa  a  ganaral  odaaaaa  ia 
th9  aijcth  grade*    It  is  oaiva  to  suj^poae  that  all 
the  boy  MMda  ia  puA^tmmtu  and  atrineaot  disoip- 
Una.    Ho  neada  help,  and  halp  of  the  kind  vhicli 
mpAagp  zxyt  ooly  frtm  eood  vill  and  kind  intan- 
tiraa,  altfamii^  thaae*  too«  are  naoeasacy,  but 
£rmb  B«S.an^llo  loualed^e  of  huaan  Botivaa  and 

••"      (3) 


b^Avior." 


In  rtaallne  aith  ohildran  in  school,  taaofaara  froan  tha 
aaarlioat  tinas  of  idiich  vo  have  sjn^  reooru,  used  tha  rod  as  ta 
iaRtnaMot  of  (ttaoiplina^    It  was  not  only  cs^doyad  to  develop 
idll,  aeoikaranse,  and  salf>uoiitrol,  Uit  it  vas  also  resorted  to 
fbr  treat&og  (^lysiaal  illness  and  disease*    The  social  xisfit, 
the  pupil  of  low  naotolity,  tlis  oydld  froex  the  uncooperative 
I,  and  the  boy  aufferine  Aron  aona  lusuapeoted  ailaaot 
often    subjected    to     pitileaa    and      severe    puzdsh- 
MMDde*        A  certain  Genaaa  teaohar  boasted  of  "having  adiuinistared 


9U,S27  blowi  vlth  his  oano,     7,905  tozes  on  the  eer*  and  1,115*800 
slaps  on  th9  h«8d«"/gxio  one  will  ever  Imov  how  many  siok,  n^- 
aonaal,  and  peerly  adjusted  ^ildren  «ere  among  his  ▼ictlRS. 

Car  Aserican  childrMs  to-day  are  not  the  target  ef  tinB 
school  tnaater's  cwae  nor  the  puncMng    b&s  for  his  stroess  ri^ 
K«,  y^  in  SOEM)  respects  their  treatstent  is  no  less  herA*     The 
poerly  adjwtad  child  who  taksa  his  j^sioal  body  to  school  day 
after  di^-  Init  allows  bis  aiol  to  vandor  bssob^  his  intermit  £mr 
ajfield;  the  pupil  «bo  is  retailed  beoauae  of  soae  illaess  of  nhioh 
his  teacftiMr  is  uanmre;  or  the  youth  n^  is  on  tl>e  wrge  of  delinqu^iey 
because  of  sob»  nsntal  or  soolal  failure. would  gladly  take  a  beat- 
ing if  that  would  only  drim  out  the  trouble  that  haunts  his* 
Sw^  afflictieaa  caaaet  be  drivwi  out  vi^  the  rod«  neither  can  they 
be  dispelled  ifith  £i  cutting  roprir»ad«     A  sick,  diaoouragod,  or 
scalad^Mted  child  mist  have  the  treatsiOTt  ahioh  bis  case  deBsads, 
tet  au^  treatrsent  should  be  adainistared  before  the  child    pass^ 
into  iif  stag*  of  deling— Mey»      Too  often  the  teaohcr  does  net 
«faat  is  «r(»tg  with  the    pupil,   therefore  she  is  tma^le  to 
libm  proper  treetneni  and  he  drift*  wx  end  en  ucitil 
he  arrives  in  the  Jwreolle  court  or  s«bo  other  undesirable  stopping 
piece. 


At  one  tinci  our  schools  vere  siaall  «nd  •«ch  iOAOher  kn«v 
her  pupils  intinately  but  to>day,  l^rge  claasos  haw  decreased 
that  close  association  «hich  is  to   inportant  in  pupil  guidaace* 
It  is  little  tisie  that  the  average  teacher  has  fV>r  visitix^  the 
pupi?  in  his  heaao  or  outside  oC  Iho  class  room*   Her  knav~ 
ledge  of  individual  liloss,  dislil»8«  ills,  and  aspirationi  are 
too  liadted  to  be  of  rnuoh  assistance  in  dealin«sith  problem 
eas^.   She  is  also  untrained  in  hene  Yisitation  and  in  diagnosing 
Oasea. 

The  visiting  teacher  TBovtsaent  vas  inaugura^ied  to  assist  in 
the  solution  of  this  vital  problea*    Working  on  the  aa8URq>tien 
that    "It  ia  easier  to  prevent  dclingi»n(^  than  to  cure  ii^*!  and 
at  the  sai<»  tiae  eodeavor  to  save  boys  and  girls  froa  seae  of  the 
agonies  of  Bal-isdjustiiMnt,  the  novensnt  is  rapidly  eorkii^  its 
way  into  the  schools  over  the  country* 

In  1922,  one  of  the  thirty  visiting  teacher  deraonstrations 
under  the  direction  of  the  Conneneealth  TvaA   program  for  the  PreventiMi 
of  DelinquMoy  was  established  in  Hutehinson,  lansas.  This  report 


deals  wite  the  w>rk  of  ^visiting  teacher  in  the  Sheraan  Junior  Ui^ 
School  of  that  city,  over  a  period  of  three  years*   The  writer 
was  closely  connected  with  the  work  sinoe  he  was  principal  of  the 
school  for  five  years,  including  the  three  years  during  which  the 


deraonstration  «as  in  progress*   The  porpose  of  this  investigatian 
mad  ootapilation  of  the  findings  is  to  ascertain  ^ethmr  or  not  the 
Board  of  Education  is  Justified  in  taking  over  the  visiting  teacher 
«ork  as  a  part  of  tJ^@  school's  own  program. 

The  information  furnished  by  the  visiting  teacher  in 
dealing  wi'Ui  one  hintdred  and  five  cases  is  the  principal  source 
of  data, 

"The  Visiting  Teachor  Itevenent,  l?ith  Special  aefercnce  to 
Adrinistrative  lielationahips,"  by  Julius  John  Oppenhelaer  of 
Stephens  Jtaiio"  College,  Columbia,,  ^lissouri  is  the  chief  source  of 
secondary  data. 


Chapter  II . 
BACKGEOUND     OF     THE  MOVEaiEMI 

In  1921  the  visiting  teacher  movement  wets  well  on  the  'H&y, 
but  since  that  date  the  idea  has  gone  fonrard  loore  rapidly  than 
ever  before*       In  that  year  the  public  schools  had  so  well  estab- 
lished the  work  that  the  National  Association  of  ibaae  and  Scliool 
Visitors  and  Visiting  Teachers  thought  seriotisly  of  discontinuing 
the  visiting  teacher  program  in  New  York.       The  C(jinmonwealth  Rmd 
asked  that  the  National  Association  continue     its  work  and  assist 
with  the  program  in  the  prevention  of  delinquency*       The  stlBulus 
that  the  Conmonwealth  fVmd  added  to  the  movement  gave-  it  the  proper 
impetus  for  sm  increased  program*     The  sudden  extension  of  the  work 
carried  it  in  many  directions  .     This  was  brought  about  by  funds 

being  made  available  to  add  additional  members  to  the  visiting 

to 
teacher  staff*       The  plan  of  their  program  was  inoculate  the 

whole  country  with  the  idea  of  using  visiting  teachers  in  the 

public  schools • 

A  five  year  program  for  the  prevention  of  delinquency 

had  been  adopted  by  the  Commonwealth  Fund,   Nov«nber  9,   1921* 

"The  program  included  fo\ir  related  phases:    (l)     to 
establish  psychiatric  clinics  through  the  national 
committee  of  ffygiene,  for  the  study  of  difficult 


pre-'dcllnquent  and  delinqtient  children  in  the 
BCiioola  and  ixi  the  javsnile  courts  and  to  develop 
BottTid  notliods  of  treatT^ant  based  on  such  studyj 
(2)  to  iievQlop  through  the  Rihlio  Bduontion 
/^eoclation  of  the  City  of  New  York,  the  trork  of 
Zii<i  -;i3ilirig  teacher,  whereby  the  iznrnluablo  ec^rly 
contacts  T>iiich  the  school  Bystem  nakes  possible 
with  evsry  child  nay  ha  utilized  for  the  under- 
Btc.nding  and  developiment  of  individual  children j 
(S)  to  prov5.d9,  through  the  New  York  School  of 
Social  TJoi'k,  oTOirees  of  training  aloJ^  eoimd  lines 
f6r  tliose  who  are  qtialified  and  ivl-.o  desire  to  do 
TTork  5.n  the  fields  of  vi'8iTrng''^£eacT^rg',  " 

psychiats-lc  sooYal"  workers  and  probation  officers; 
and  (4)  to  extend  by  various  educational  efforts  the 
knosrl«lge  and  the  rise  of  siethods,  through  tlio  Joint 
Cosmittee  on  Tfethods  of  Preventing  Delinquenoyj  coirt- 
prising,  ar^ong  others,  tl»     executives  of  the  other 
three  divisions."        /^\ 

The  follofriLng  statement  sets  forth  the  objectives  of  the 

ComiBonsrealth  Fund  in  dealing  with  delinquents : 

"Only  very  recently  has  there  come  to  be  some 
conception  that  early  study  of  the  individual 
who  is  out  of  adjits-fenentj,  and  scientific 
diagnosis  of  his  social  difficulty,  may  n&ke 
possible  a  considerable  degree  of  prevent! on j that 
carefully  differentiated  treatment  —  plTysical, 
tiental,  and  social  ~  based  on  such  a  diagnosis, 
may  produce  results  quite  salutary,  as  vjay  be  found 
in  tl:e  phj'sician's  practice  —  nay  even  direct  r-iiny 
a  yowng  offender  on  the  pathway  tovrard  good  citizen- 
ship instead  of  tcfrord  the  life  of  the   'repeater' > 

"T«   the  CtteraontTealth  Fund  it  has  appeared  that  for 
the  child  vrho  is  tending  twrard  t.he  delinquencyi  'vrho 
fr.ils  to   *get  along'   in  his  school,   home,  or  neiglibor- 
hood  environnent;  who  is  troublesoae  cr  'different' 


or   'oal-ad justed; '  who  comes  for  the  first  time  before  ti.e 
juvenile  court  "  for  him  the  greatest  single  need  i^  tliat 
he  be  accurately  and  adequately  tinderstood;  that  his  prob- 
lems, difficulties  and  motives  be  appreciated  —  in  short, 
that  the  decisions  as  to  what  is  the  best  thing  to  do  for 
bin  be  based  on  a  thorough-going  knowledge*  >i    /p^ 

Under  the  Connoiarealth  Kind  prograa  visiting  teachers 
were  placed  in  as  many  different  cononudties  for  a  three  year 
deuonstration*       The  purpose  of  this  project  was  to  locate  these 
dOBWBBtrations  in  as  varied  social,  industrial  and  educational 
•nvironBents  as  possible,  some  in  rurcd  conmnities,  some  in  con- 
gested districts,  and  others  in  average  situations*    They  were  to  carry 
on  the  visiting  teacher  work  for  a  period  of  three  years  with  the 
Idea  in  mind  of  denonstrating  "the  value  of  their  work  in  the  ad- 
jtxstment  of  children  whose  behavior,  enviroraaent  or  mental  condi- 
tion prevents  thea  from  profiting  fully  from  their  school  oppor- 
tiuiities,   anu  to  perndt  the  permanent  establishment  of  such  service, 
locally  supported."         The  Consaonsrealth  fUnd  pays  two-thirds  of  the 
salaries  of  the  visiting  teachers  and  the  local  boards  pay  one  third > 
The  danonstrations  are  carried  on  through  the  Boards  of  Education, 
under  the  general  supervision  of  the  superintendents  of  schools 
bixt  the  technical  supervision  of  the  work  is  under  the  direction  of 
the  exeeutlve  staff  of  the  National  Coaaoittee* 

£r.  Howard  W.  %dd.  Director  Public  Education  Association 
of  the  City  of  liew  York  is  chairaan  of  the  tiational  Cosadttee 


8 


of  Visiting  Teachers  for  the  Prevantion  of  Delinquency. 

The  places  chosen  for  the  thirty  denonstrations  "?rere: 
Berkeley,  California;  Birningham,  Alabassa;  Bluafield,  litest  Virginia; 
Boone  Couniy,  LS-ssoiiri;   Burlington,  Verrxont;   aitte,  !5>ntanaj 
Cliarlotte,  North  Caroline;  Chisholn,  I'ijineeota;  CoatsTille,  Pennsyl- 
vania; Colmaljus,  Geiargia;  Detriot,  I*ichigan;  Durhan,  Ilorth  Caroline; 
Eugene,   QBregon;  Hitchinson,  Eauieas;  Baron  County,   Ohio;  Kalanazoo, 
Michigan;  Lincoln,  Nebraska;  Ifonrnouth,  Ifefvr  Jersey;   Chaha,  Nebraska; 
Pooatello,   Idaho;  Eacine,  "Wisconsin;  Richmond,  Virginia;  Rochester, 
Penn^lTaiiia;  Rock  Springs,  Throning;  San  Diego,  California;  Sioux 
City,  Iowa;  Sioux  Falls,  Swith  Dakota;  Tuecon,  Arizona,   Tulsa, 
Oklahoma;  and  V;arren,   Ohio* 

As  stated  in  tlie  stu^  made  by  Dr»  (^penheiner,  the  visitinj 
t«aoher  "srwk  prior  to  1921  had  been  established  in  r»ny  schools. 
Since  the  placing  of  the  visiting  teachers  for  tlie  CocuaonnBalth  pro- 
gram EEi^'-  other  school  sj.'steniB  have  added  the  i^ork  to  their 
progi'ans.       The  -iTriter  has  been  unable  to  find  out  h<m  manjr  of 
the  deraonstratione  that  have  been  in  operation  three  years  have 
been  taken  orr&r  by  the  schools.       In  sotie  oases  the  full  tine  has 
not  expired. 

The  outstanding  cliaracteristics  of  the  novoiasnt  now  lead  us 
to  believe  that  a  wider  expansion  is  before  us.       If  even  a  part  of 


9 


the  thirty  denonstratioiis  is  succassful  in  influeiicing  the 
Boards  of  Education  to  continue  tho  ifork,  it  meane  that  ths 
visiting  teacher  movenxi&nt  tsIII  be  in  operation  in  many  pax^s  of 
th©  United  States,   The  place  that  has  been  giv«n  to  the  work  in 
the  public  schools  and  the  recognition  it  lias  rscei-ced  from  the 
Administratiwa  force  have  mad©  its  eff 9ots  fan   reaching.   The 
iji^ortanoe  of  the  work  is  making  greater  demands  for  efficient  visit- 
ing teachers*   Jixch  of  the  success  of  the  movement  depends  upon 
the  ability  of  the  force  seat  out  to  do  the  Tfxork. 

Hitchinson,  Kansas,  ...  -with  a  population  of  23,000  -mB   one 
of  the  thirty  coraKHinities  selected  for  a  demonstration  of  the  visit- 
ing teachers  work.   In  tlie  fall  of  1922  Miss  Patiline  Fairchild  was 
sent  there  to  beoorae  the  visiting  teacher,  working  under  the 
C<*aaonir7eclth  progran.   ?lie  result  of  her  three  years  wrk 
influenced  the  Board  of  Education  in  voting  to  take  aver   this  wori: 
and  also  in  idding  an  eLdditional  trained  visiting  teacher  to  the 
sohool  force. 


10 


Chapter  III 
THE  SITUATION  AT  THE  SHERfiAN  JUHIOl.  HIGH  SCBOOL 

The  Sherman  Jxmior  High  Gchool  was  erected  in  1915  on 
the  site  of  the  first  school  ever  built  in  Hutchinson,  Kar.«s.s. 
It  is  located  in  the  older  part  of  the  city  with  three  railroads 
h«Bming  it  in  and  with  the  heart  of  the  business  section  of  the 
city  less  than  three  blocks  aray.  Tiie  district  is  bounded  on 
the  south  by  the  Arkansas  river,  on  the  east  by  large  maniifactvir- 
ing  plants J  on  the  west  by  negro  and  Mexican  settlements,  and  on 
the  north  by  the  newer  rtsidental  section  of  the  city.  There 
are  a  few  blocks  of  residences  within  these  boundaries  that  are 
considered  8<s7ie  of  the  best  of  the  whole  city,  but  for  the  most 
part  the  Sherman  district  Is  populated  with  the  laboring  class. 
There  are  sone  negro  and  Mexican  families  that  contubute  to  the 
school  enrollment  -fhich  during  the  period  of  the  visiting  teacher 
demonstration  averaged  six  hundred  pupils.  Of  that  number  five 
percent  was  negro  and  three  hundredths  percent  was  Mexican. 

The  environment  of  certain  sections  of  this  locality  is  not 
conducive  to  ideal  school  conditions.  Little  shacks  almost  ready 
to  tumble  dovra  stand  on  eithiar  side  of  the  three  railroad  lines 
passing  through  the  city.  Along  the  river  banks  are  families 


living  in  tents,  cook  shacks,  and  poorly  constructed  huts.  IT 
cheap  rent  is  to  b©  had  anywhere"  in  the  city  it  is  within  the 
Sherman  boundaries.  This  attracts  the  transients  and  the  poor 
class  of  people.  In  the  spriiig  semester  of  1924  a  check  was  rr&de 
to  ascertain  rrhat  percent  Ox  the  pupils  enrolled  in  January  remained 
till  the  close  of  school.  The  findings  showed  that  twenty  five 
percent  had  woved  from  the  city,  transfezred,  or  dr^fjped  cub. 
The  monbhiy  reports  in  1922  showed  a  high  percent  of  tardiness,  absenc 
absence,  truancy,  and  failures*  Many  cases  of  discipline  were  con- 
fronting the  teachers  and  the  principal  every  month.  Investi^tions 
made  attributed  much  of  the  trouble  to  broken  homes,  to  those  ■?*io 
■were  "here  today  and  gone  torrorro^,"  and  to  those  who  were  out  of 
adjusrtraent  either  in  the  home  or  in  the  school.  Punishiiienbs  %vere 
not  employed  to  any  great  extent  because  jnost  of  tise  cases  demanded 
other  treatment. 

The  size  of  the  school  and  the  extent  of  its  boimdaries 
HB.de  it  practically  irapos'jible  for  the  teachers  and  the  principal 
to  meet  the  situation  T/ith  any  degree  of  adequacy.  A  health  nurse 
visited  the  building  one  half  day  per  week  and  rendered  valuable 
service  in  health  case%  8^   sometL-iies  gave  side  lights  on  other 
individuals,  but  the  bqivooI   needed  some  one  to  treat  'hose  -who 
were  sviffering  from  other  ailnents.  The  whole  school  was  feeling 


12 


the    effects    of    individuals   who    v-ero    out    of    adjustrpent 
cither   at    home    or    at    school.     The    City   Superintendent    was 
aware    of    oil    of   these    facts   when    he    assigned    ! iss    Fairchild 
to   the    Shenian   Juiiior   High   School    for   two    dgys    each   veok 
during    her  three    year   demonstration    period.      It   was   >i0t    the 
idea   of   those   in    chorge    of   the   work    that   the   whole   situstion 
could    ;'e    cleared    up    in    three   yecrs,    but    it   wss    bolioved 
that   the    Sherman   School    offere  .    sn   ideal    field   in   w'nich   the 
Commonwealth    Fund    proj^raw    for   the    Prevention    of    Delinquency 
might    carry    on    its    \7ork.      The    liinited   time    allot-jient    and    the 
advanced    stage    of   many    of   the    cases    hgndicapped    the  work 
considersbly .      In    fact      iss   Fairchild   spent    so   much   of   her 
tiire    on    a    few    of   the    chronic    delinquents    tliat    pre-delin- 
quent    cases    suffered    to    a  great    extent. 

A   aympatheti  ;    corps    of    tv/enty    three    teachers    cooporoted 
with    .iss    Fairchild   in    dealing   with    the    proi'lem    cases    in   the 
school.      These      teachers    had    managed    adaiirably   in    v/orking 
with    cases    in    the    past,    L>ut    there   v/ere    too    isny    underlying 
difficulties    v/hich   they    could    net    reach.      The   teachers    had 
been   largely    responsible    for   the   developi^ent    of   the    fine 
school    Spirit    that    existed    in    tVie    institution.      They   vcade 
use    of    e  vory    (activity    in    fostering   a    better    feeling    and 
exerted   evory    efi'ort   to   help    those   v/ho    vera    out    of   adjust- 
uent . 

The    school    curri  culum  viras      flexible    enough    that    Individ- 


13 


ual  ueods  could  be  vtqII   to'^en   core  of«  e^^d  the  proper 
adjustnent  j'etle  as  soon  as  the  needs  v<are  diseovored . 
Besides  the  acadeajic  subjerta,  classes  ®oro  orf^anized 
in  s©ay  lines  of  pro-vocational  traioinj?.   Facilities  for 
•  xtro-curriculo.r  activities  t-sade  it  possible  tc  -'^^1  •  the 
interest  ond  keep  sony  of  the  older  an<i  rotardea  parils 
in  eoheol  - 


J.* 


Chapter  IV* 

HOSf  THE  VISITENG  TEACIIER  (XJOAOTZED  TOB.   V:ORK. 

]lfi.8«  Fairchild  took  up  her  duties  as  visiting  teacher  in  the 
Sheman  Junior  high  School  early  in  the  fall  tern  1922,   She  did 
not  plunge  blindly  into  case  work,  but  first  became  familiar  with 
the  school  in  natters  of  policy  and  routine.   i^i'ter  several  con- 
ferences with  the  principal  she  becane  acquainted  with  the  records 
and  also  gained  much  infornation  regarding  individuals  in  the 
school  who  were  to  be  studied.   /:t  a  special  meeting  of  all  the 
teachers  the  purpose  of  the  work  and  the  plans  for  carrying  it 
out  were  placed  before  them.   The  teachers  displayed  lauch  interest 
in  the  new  novenent  and  expressed  a  desire  to  be  of  assistance* 
At  tte  first  neeting  the  principal  asked  for  the  cooperation 
of  all  the  teachers*   Ife  stated  that  he  knew  they  had  been  looking 
for  relief  in  n&ny   of  their  extrene  cases,  l-ut  to  not  expect  the  r 
relief  to  corse  mrsediately  because  it  would  take  tine  to  diagnose 
a  case,  reconrjend  treatment,  and  bring  about  an  adjustment* 

The  plan  devised  for  reporting  pupils  gave  the  visiting 
teacher  a  good  method  of  checking  nil  cases.   v.'hen  a  class  room 


15 
teacher  found  in  one  of  her  classes  a  boy  or  girl  who  imt 

causing  trouble,  failing.,  or  wcs  difficult  to  handle  in  tny  vmy, 
she  was  first  to  exhaust  her  crttn   efforts  to  bring  about  an  ad^^ust- 
ment  but  if  she  failed  she  vras  to  report  the  case  to  the  pj-incirEl» 
This  was  done  by  filling  out  a  three  by  five  form  made  especially 
for  such  a  report*  The  card  carried  the  following  information: 
classification,  pupils  naiiie,  date  of  birth,  address,  father's 
name,  date  of  the  report,  and  the  reasons  for  referring  the  case 
to  the  visiting  teacher. 

After  this  card  was  handed  to  the  principal,  he  invest i^-^ated 
to  see  if  the  case  should  be  carried  to  the  visiting  teacher.  If 
he  deemed  it  iynportant  enough  to  be  taken  to  her  he  added  any  avail- 
able inforr.mtion  that  the  office  had  to  the  card  before  sending 
it  to  her  office.  This  plan  not  only  gave  the  visiting  teacher  a 
good  outline  of  the  case  before  going  into  it,  but  it  also  prevented 
a  teacher  from  reporting  a  case  with  out  first  using  every  means 
to  correct  it  herself.  It  was  clearly  understood  that  the  teacher 
still  remained  the  responsible  pai-ty  that  she  was  before  the  move- 
ment was  inaugurated, 

KnovTlng  that  the  visiting  teacher  had  .iust  two  days  per  week 
to  devote  to  cases  in  Sljerman,  and  since  there  were  over  six 
hundred  pupils  on  the  roll,  it  was  decided  that  none  but  the  most 
urgent  cases  of  delinquent  and  pre-delinquents  were  to  be  handed  to 
Miss  Fairchild,  This  nerr  scuroe  of  help  did  not  mean  that  the 


16 


principal  could  shift  the  disciplinary  responsibility  of  the  school 
over  to  the  visitins;  teacher.  In  fact  it  increased  his  responsibility 
because  the  cases  were  to  bo  diagnosed,  treatment  recomnended,  Dnd 
a  follow  up  made  to  determine  the  extent  of  the  adjustment.  It 
was  the  principal's  duty  to  see  that  the  facilities  for  this  work 
■were  ipade  as  favorable  as  posGible.  The  i.ml-ad,iusted  pupil  trs-s 
no  longer  considered  an  incurable  and  permitted  to  draft  out  of  the 
school  as  an  easy  means  of  dismissing  the  whole  affair.  Tiie  new 
idea  that  the  delinquont  or  the  pre-delinquent  child  was  afflicted 
with  some  derangement  that  frais  responsible  for  his  condition  became 
the  paramount  thought  in  connection  with  disciplinary  cases. 
Knowing  that  delinquency  is  easier  to  prevent  than  to  cure  the 
principal  and  the  teachers  were  tirged  to  be  constantly  on  the 
watch  for  pupils  who  should  be  labeled  pre-delinquents.  This  not 
only  prevented  a  further  drift  towf.rds  the  juvenile  covirt  but  it 
also  opened  up  a  bigger  field  of  responsibility  with  a  challenge 
that  made  the  principal  and  the  teachers  think  in  broader  terms  of 
problem  children. 


xt 


Chapter  V. 

THE  IIANMER  IH  WHICH  TliE  VISITING  TEAOlER  liAJTOLED  TIIE  CASES 

During  the  three  years  when  the  visiting  teacher, 
working  under  the  CominonBrealth  Fund  program  was  demonstrating 
to  the  citizens  of  Hutchinson  the  need  for  such  a  vork  in  the 
schools,  a  totcl  of  one  hundred  five  Shemen  Junior  High  School 
pupils  T/ere  studied  l>y  ^^or.   To  some  this  number  say  seem  too 
sriall,  while  to  others  it  may  seem  too  large*   Thin   makes  an 
average  of  thirty-five  pupils  per  year  or  about  one  per  week 
since  the  school  year  consisted  of  thirty-six  waeksy   Tcro  days 
eaoh  week,  inclusive  of  time  for  monthly  and  annual  reports  were 
given  over  to  Sherman  pupils.   One  who  is  familiar  with  the. 
work  of  the  visiting  teacher  knows  that  two  days  is  a  short  time 
in  which  to  diagnose  a  ease,  make  arrongemente  fo  r  treatnent,  and 
then  keep  check  on  the  results*   Ifiss  Fairchild  believes  that  too 
many  cases  were  undertaken  to  get  the  best  results*   She  maintains 
that  more  intensive  work  should  be  done  in  the  future. 

Ihe  following  oixtline  of  the  case  work  procedure  v/ill  reveal 
the  cause  of  the  demand  for  intensive  study  and  the  need  of 
liberal  time  allotment* 


18 


VYhen    a    case    had    been    spproved    Dy   the   principol    and 
referred    to    the    visiting    teacher    she    l>egan    at    once    adding 
data   to    the    infor  'oti    n    on    the    c-.Td.      She    first    explored    the 
office    records    and    consultod    the    princij-al    nbout    the   general 
attitude    of   the    p      il    in    school    previous   to    t'no    time    of    beini; 
reported.      She    th^r.    consulted    each    of   the    child's      teachers 
in    order    to    -et    in  f  orinatioij    in    ref^^^rd   to    his    olsas    room    atti- 
tude,     oha   aext    r^iio    arranrrement  s   to    reet   the    child   in   her 
office.      This    meoting   v»89   planned    st    g    ti    8    trhen    it    ■  ould 
least    interfere   with    clessi   work. 

x\ie    cordial    ottitade    of    the    visiting    if  ^n'Gr,    the    dis- 
play   of   interest    in   hi;-,    and    the    coa-forts    o  i'    Liie    office 
usually   won    him    over    so    th:  t    he    showed    no    fe^jr    or   rasent- 
i;Bnt.      iiis    whole    situ^jtion   was    approached    throu,<r;h    c    conver- 
sation   about    his    likes    and    dislikes,    his   pet   hohbiea,    his 
favorite    subjects    tuid    teochers,     snd    the    KJjnner    of    Spending; 
ills    loxj^i  ,.    uj.    o.      The    •jssur'iince    i'-.ai,   was   given    the    child 
by    the    visitinf^   te&cher    that    she   would    not    divulf-e    any 
of   the    conversation   they    carried         ^      ined   his    confidence 
5.nd    openeu    up    tiev!   yvfjnues    of    in  f  oneati  on .         e    r/as    not    told 
that    soiio    teacher    iiad    r  jpcrtea    hi;.!    as  a  case  •    but    he 

v/as   made   to    reel    thst    a    friendly    intereat   wju   veinc 
shovru      in    iiiiS .      The   visiting    teacher   expressed    a    desire    to 
meet    his    parents    and   the    child    v/as    c^iven   the    Ojjportunity 
to   mrjke   the    yrmn^reriients    for    the    visitinf^    teacher 


19 


to  conto  to  the  h(s^.     Tiie  ehlld  wb.8  usually  less  resentful  if 
he    was     pcronched  aboi^  his  own  situation  before  ftiry  r«ntlon  of 
it  had  bean  ands  to  his  parerjts.     ttpon  boing  dismissed  fro-;  the 
first  conferenoe  ho  mis  uaunlly  con^ilted  s.s  to  plan  fcr  tnothor 
laeetir^  in  ♦■!■»  Aiture. 

The  hoae»  and  in  naiiy  e&sos  tbe  ffector  that  held  tlxi  Irey 
to  tlT«  vhole  sit'jstion,  wao  nea±  in  liue  for  invest irr.tirjn. 
tactful  approach  was  evan  aore  necoss&ry  in  entorinr  the  hoine 
ti^fiB  in  di»lin5  with  tbo  pupil*       o  raftny  faronts  were  unwilling 
to  adbit  thet  there  yr&a  tftsiythiji^,  wi'onf<  with  their  children.     Others 
adnited  that  tho  child  iras  a  problem  and  gladly  -  n*ered  intr:  t  rle.n 
tc  help*     It  rocpiired  a  lot  of  diplon»icy  to  de£.l  vith  the  parents 
of  one  hunth-ed  five  probl«»  ehildi-en  in  nddition  to  the  children 
thvaselves*     7bo  evidence  often  proved  thi  t  the  parents  were  a 
greater  problem  than  tiic  child*     In  siairy  instances  tlis  pai^cwits  Yad 
beoot^  bitterly  opposed  to  the  school  after  liatoning  repeatedly 
to  the  eoaiplaints  of  a  r»ladjusted  bo;/  or  flrl*     In  otter  ci>aes 
©oono^io  presaure  bed  wo  if 'bed  down  so  unc      ^S/'  r.ly,  that  the  ft;  t  her 
and  nsothor  had  a  diatorted  vies?  of  li^^o  in  Kon«.r';l.     Occ:  sicnallv 
a  benrt  broken  uother  jA^n  lad  had  gi*ent  dreams  of  &  future  for  hor 
•en  or  daurS^er  wouls-  tell  Imv  pathetic   itory*     ,>orae  honwJi  sjiowed 
evldeaeas  of  coofort  and  plenty  while  otbors  were  no  sore  than  a 
rocf .     These  and  tmny  other  aituationu  oonfionted  the  viaittrig 


20 


teacher  in  her  work.     Discouraging  as  thing*  seecied  at  tSjaes  she 
worked  for  three  srears  to  prove  that  her  work  was  needed  in  th« 
sohool.       This  little  posia  by  Aaanda  IJatthtfws  Chase,  Hone  TM.oher 
.taalia  Street  School,  Lob  Angeles,  California,  expressed  the  atti- 
tude of  the  visiting  teacher. 

"HoKie  teacher  am  I, 
A  district  my  donaia . 
I  walk  its  lexxgth  and  breadth 
As  one  vfo  can,  to  help. 
As  one  who  can,  to  teaeh* 
Sonatinas  I  weary. 
Heart  wearies,  soul  wearies 
Ah  weariness. 

Close  rot  the  door  between  any  district 
and  By  doaiain* 

"^Ignoranos  I  neet 
And  qua&flt  culture, 
Gleexts  aadd  the  sordid. 
Salvation  and  deviltries, 
ScaltatioBS  and  ni series* 
SometiBies  fibith  goes  laas, 
Lbbw  and  foot  sore* 
ih  halting  fi&ith. 

Close  not  the  door  between  ay  district 
aad  ny  doasdn* 

"Wonderful  it  is 
To  know  intinAtely 
Streets  and  streets  of  souls, 
Who  fling  into  my  lap 
Their  sorrom  euid  oatastrophhes  • 
Soaetiaes  I  fail  for  laok  of  Ioto, 
Lovinglb  not  always  easy* 
Ah  lazing  love. 

Close  not  the  door  between  siy  district 
and  ny  droaa*** 

10. th  the  diagnosis  completed  reeoomendations  were  Rtado 

for  an  adjustment.     It  required  an  ingenioixs  person  to  plan 

treatment  for  somc  of  the  peculiar  cases  tliat  were  discovered. 


21 


Us«  «as  laade  of  all  out  site  stgmeier.  that  eould  be  ctylcy<A»    Tte 
civic     cltsbs,  t1-.e  ch'.irchca,  th«  heclth  clini<-»,  the  asaocia^ed 
charities,  art4  prl's*©  citixens  -were  oalled  v^n  to  r«nd»r  e 
particular  aerrlce  as  it  tms  needed.    Withl*J  the  school  the 
teachers  ard  the  principal  rendered  auflii  itrviM  as  spooibl 
eiqpenrialon,  read.lustsient  of  prcrf^paiE,  spoclul  eciu'ses  of  atxsdy, 
and  In  a  few  oases  furnished  limc^^s  for  sorae  of  the  poor  childrec* 

Follovlng  is  c.  liat  of  aoste  of  the  ooncreto  thlnp-a  the 
▼Islting  tsQcher  did  in  her  -^nrk* 

(1)  Assisted  under  privileged  teye  in  gettljig  Into  the  boy  scouts 
and  t^  Y.  U,  C«  A* 

(2)  Vias  able  to  secure  positions  for  pupils  vr\to  needed  tnrk. 

(S)  Fouaii  boraes  taar  three  children  who  needed  bettor  hoeie  Influ^ieea* 

(4)  £nooure.§sd  the  Xteanls  Club  to  sponaor  ttaree  delirqxient  beys* 

(5)  Kneouragsd  the  Cooparative  Club  t«  sponsor  one  boy  una  send  bin 
to  school ■ 

(6}  In  one  follov?  \xp  ease  errcn  After  the  f,lrl  had  been  out  of 

solMcl  and  frtxi  under  l^iss  Fialrohlld*s  eare  for  several  months 
a»  endeavor  vas  nad*  to  got  her  entablinhed  in  a  positlcn* 
(7)  Coof^rwted  with  tho  nurse  and  tnde  arnmijB—Hfs  for  clinical 
treataent  in  nuiy  oases. 

(6)  Took  efetit  in  laotfaers  of  :'<or90  probl^a  ohlldren  <^rt;  for  a  ride 
in  the  country* 

(9)  lielped  girls  to  get  Into  the  Olrl  ieserws  when  they  t»ere 
tumble  to  maintain  Mmbershlp* 


22 


(M)  Hide  arrangeaenfcs  with    Ajndny  School  teaohers  for  pupils  to 
gat  (itairfeed  to  Sunday  services, 

(11)  fftll»d  befor*  all  of  the  clvlo  clubs  one  or  more  tines  expl&lr- 
Ing  h«r  field  of  work* 

(12)  Co<H5©r«»ted  with  the  prcbetion  officer  in  handling  delinquent 

(1?)  Cooperated  with  the  asaoclated  Charities  in  rendering  aid  to 
Bsedy  fanilies* 

(14)  Interviewed  parents  in  refiiard  to  chlldrens*  porsoual  history, 
ImbitSy  tcapewawnt,  and  Interests* 

(15)  /nalyzad  the  child's  neic^hborhoed  enwlroranerft. 

(16)  Solicited  the  fsailly's  cooperstion  wjnsrc  the  child  was  falllDg 
below  the  school's  standards. 

(17)  /^ided  Mothers  in  planning  hoBR  work  for  e^.lldrcn  jo  that  it 
would  not  handicap  and  hinder  thes* 

(18)  Advised  parents  cf  c<»ffiaxnity  e^encles  that  would  assist  th®a 
in  tl«ir  difficult  lea, 

(If)  Secured  the  services  of  tlse  city  health  nuise  In  eases  wtiere 
anabers  of  a  family  were  seriously  ill* 

{to)  Cooperated  with  the  health  officers  by  reporting  cases  of 
CCTitaglous  disease* 

(21)  Conferred  with  parents  in  regard  te  iBDroper  associates  of 
their  children. 

(22)  Eeported  immoral  influences  of  a  neigihborhood  to  the  proper 
autlmrities. 


2S 


(23)  Investigfttad  the  hone  oonditions  of  pupils  trying  to  secure 
work  papers* 

(24)  Baooonended  changes  in  classes  and  in  programs  for  individuals 
out  of  adjuetaMXt* 

(25)  yade  suggestions  regpurding  prouotiona  of  certain  pupils  • 

(26)  Assisted  the  prinolpel  in  jtMxy  eases  not  atentioned  atooBg  the 
one  hu33dred  five,  specially  in  intermittent  attendance  oases* 

(27)  furnished  inf!»naation  to  the  teachers  in  dealing  vith  proUen 
oas«s  and  adrised  than  as  to  methods  of  procedure  in  dealing  with 
certain  pupils* 


24 


Chapter  VI . 
FINDINGS  OF  TI!H  VISITING  TKACHi^jR 

The  records  of  the  visiting  teacher  show  that  the 
one  hundred  five  cases  sent  to  her  were  referred  for  tlie 
following  reasons: 

(1)  Scholarship 

(8/   Conduct 

(3)  Home  conditions 

(4)  Attendance 

(5)  Health 

The  meaning  of  each  of  the  five  causes  just  named  is, 
(1)  Scholarship  includes: 

(a)  Su  norr-ality 

(B)  Retardation 

(c)  Deficiency  in   lessons 

{d)    Precocity 

(e)  Prograu'.  adjustment 

(f)  Other  scholarship  reasons,  such  as  danger  of 
renaating  f^rades,  misapp  ortio.iont  of  time 
on  subjects  etc; 

(2)  Conduct  and  behavior  --  i:ot  incidental   ehavior 
or  conduct  whicVi  is  peculiar,  unusual,  and 


25 

aiffer«nt     vhieh  include: 

(a)  ^iscottduct   in   ond    out    of     )c      oi 

(b)  SuSi:icion    of   esrol    dellnquoncios 

(c)  Igtbov-'ISAy   traits       which   include   the 
dirficuit    Gidld,    the   neurotic,    tho   queer 
8.;d  uosocifil    child; 

(3)'Ho:'fe    conditioao  vTiioh   include: 

(a)  i  ovoriy 

(b)  Isiproper     .guardianship 
(a)    i'areniai   C'^'-oleasness 

(d)    Leak   of   eoopar^ition  "^ith   the   school; 

(4)  Atteadauco   end   tardiness  which  include; 

siployj.'rent   of   child 
\k>f   i<aton<»S3   sud  iutomittoni   atiecidenoo  due    to 
houie   conditisas  that   require   edjustsient,    and 

(5)  Health,  ^hieh  includes: 

(a)  Specie^  defects  «hieh  require  speei  1  treQt> 

"^  r// 

laont   but    ore   not   nurses'    cosos.     ' '^ 
aucxc   :<o#i-    shov'fS    tiie   distri.>ui.i  v..    ay   nui2.  ers   arid   sex- 
of  reasons  gives  by   the   principal   nn^  the   cioas   rooe  teschera 
in    rcforria-'    rai  ;ilQ    to    the    visiti    rt    trioe'nr.       ?orty    oi -ht 
boys    a-iu    iii'iy    i*t^v©i.   ,',iri3    v-'orc    ro..  crtod.      Iht? 
aui&feer  included  ^ipchtean   boys  and   t«'entX"H^^''~!^tri8  ,     Tho 
gre^.^test   iti>  -her   referred    for   eny    a   a    rtnu«A   wris    forty   seven 


Table  llo,  I . 

iiocoo.ia    c^iven  by    the  toachera    >>ntl   the   prineipol   for 
roforrinf^.  pupils   to  the   visitinrt   teoohor. 

Shewinr;    tho    dioiribution    by   nunbcro    ond   ofx   ©f 


eosons 

UOvn 

Oi 

Lrls 

total 

Percent 
c*f   tots 

1.   Soholarship 

9 

^^O.i.) 

n 

\  ,•} 

Ij 

l^^.S 

2«   Hofso    conditions 

& 

:.:ii .? 

64.3 

14 

13.3 

li,    uonduet 

If. 

5t  .:: 

IX 

4:^.7 

•?7 

?5.7 

4.   Atteadance 

lb 

36.3 

29 

ni. 

44. t; 

5.  r.oalth 

0 

:).o 

2 

00  •(> 

3 

1.9 

Total 

4G 

57 

10  b 

loo. 

27 

for  8ttend9-:;ce .   This  number  included  oi'-'jhteen  boys  and 
fcv/enty  nine  .^irla.   The  lar;^6  number  comiar^  in  this  item 
was  due  to  the  fact  thsL  in  many  oases  poor  health,  scholsr- 
ship,  conduct,  and  ii0..o  conditions  contributed  to  poor  attend- 
ance.  A  more  careful  study  of  the  eases  before  referrinr; 
them  to  the  visiting  teacher,  no  doubt  would  hB   e  caused  a 
different  reason  to  be  sciven  in  some  instoncos. 

The  next  highest  number  was  charged  dth  poor  conduct. 
The  number  of  iioys  in  this  iteni  exceoab  uhe  nu'i  er  of  ^irls. 
However,  a  few  of  the  ^irls  reported  for  this  roaoon  «?ere 
some  of  the  most  difficult  cases  handled,  and  it  was  impossibl 
to  bring  about  an  adjustment  in  such  coses  in  some  inotaace::^. 

The  number  listed  under  scholarship  vas  fifteen,  nine 
boys  and  six  girls.   This  shows  that  poor  class  room  r/ork 
was  n:t  one  of  the  tvo  m^ij  or  difficulties  that  the  teachers 
were  encountering.   There  were  others  who  rrere  doing  poor' 
work  but  attendance,  coaduct,  and  health  were  stated  as  the 
direct  causes  of  tho  poor   recora. 

"Home  conditions"  was  fourth  on  the  list  with  fourteen, 
five  boys  and  nino  rirls.   This  differonco  can  be  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  girls  of  junior  high  school  age  need 
more  home  attention  than  do  boys  of  the  S'smo  a'f,e.      Girls 
are  more   apt  to  reveal  their  home  circumst^m  oes  thpn  ore 
b  oys  . 

Health  is  credited  with  the  srnallest  nu  her  in  the 
list  of  reasons.   Tvro  rrirls  and  no  boys  vrsre  rc_  orted.   The 


28 


underlying  cause  of  some  of  the  other  c?33es  was  poor  healiii 
yet  the  teachers  had  only  seen  the  outward  results. 

In  some  respects  the  findings  in  the  Sherman  Junior 
High  School  coincide  with  those  of  Llr.  Oppenhoimer  in  Viis 
investigation,   ie  found  that  twelve  percent  more  girls 
than  boys  were  dealt  with.   Us  havo  found  that  eipht  and 
aevon  truths  percent  more  girls  than  boys  wore  reported 
to  the  visiting  teacher.   I'e  found  that  in  comporing  the 
reasons  for  refercvico  by  sexes  when  the  pereents  wit-iin 
each  sex  were  taken,  there  was  little  difference  except 
in  the  case  of  conduct  and  health.   In  this  report  there 
is  a  K^Q^'ter  difference.   In  soholarshi)  the  boys  uade  up 
sixty  percent  of  the  c^ses  ??hile  the  '<irls  totaled  only 
forty  percent.   The  f^irls  ref^istered  twenty  oi,?,ht  and  six 
tenths  mors  cases  of  ho:ne  conditions  than  did  the  boys. 
In  conduct  the  boys  were  eiT;hteen  and  six  tenfis  higher 
than  the  girls.   The  difference  in  attendance  v?as  twenty 
three  and  four  tentlis  more  p,irl3.   One  hundred  percent  of 
those  reported  for  health  were  girls. 


29 


TABLE  lio.  II. 
S«asons  pupils  vera  referred  to  ▼isitlng  teacher  and  the  fundaiaental 
difficulties  found.     Showing  the  variation  of  the  fundamental  difficulties 
which  the  visiting  teacher  found  vmderlying  the  cases  which  were  r^ortad 
for  some  apedfio  reason  by  the  taachars  and  the  principal. 


i^uuianental 
difficulties 
found  by  the 
Visiting 
Teacher 


HeasooB  given  to  visiting  teacher  when  cases 
were  referred. 


School  mal-  : 

Scholarship 

ibne     Conduct 
Conditions 

Health 
Attendance 

Total 

Percent . 

adjustment .  : 

B 
2 

0 
0 

£ 
0 

G 
0 

fi 
7 

G 
2 

B 
7 

G 
1 

B 
0 

G 

0 

B  G 
16  S 

18.1 

Hgucily  un- 
cooperative ; 

0 

0 

1 

2 

0 

0 

1 

3 

0 

0 

2  5 

6.7 

Unfavorable  : 

1 

0 

0 

2 

4 

8 

4 

19 

0 

2 

9  31 

S8.1 

emriroxBaent  : 

Scholastic 

6 

3 

0 

0 

2 

0 

1 

e 

0 

0 

9  S 

11.4 

irtibility 

Little  or  no' 

0 

0 

2 

4 

2 

0 

2 

2 

0 

0 

6  6 

11.4 

hoae  super- 
Tision 

' 

Financial 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1  1 

1.9 

need. 

Health 

.  0 

s 

1 

0 

1 

1 

5 

4 

0 

0 

5  8 

12.4 

Total 


6  6  9       16     11       18     29       0       2     48  57       100 

(Grand  Total     (105)     ) 


30 


DIFFICULTIES  FOU  .D  BY  VISIIING  TSACKER 

Table  Ho.  il  checks  the  difficulties  found  by  the  v 
visiting  teacher  aRainat  the  reasons  for  vhich  the  pupils 
v;ere  referred  to  hea^.   This  table  reveals  the  mistaken 
judge:T}ents  of  the  teschors  in  msny  coses.  it    also  impress-. 
«s  ^pou  one  the  nocessity  for  more  then  surface  findings 
ill  dealing  with  problem  children.   That  old  aqying,  "you 
cannot  toll  by  looking;  at  6  frog  how  far  he  czin   junp"  might 
be  restated  for  school  v/oi'k  to  rcod,  "You  i.:annot  tell  by 
looking  at  ©  problem  child  what  is  the  I'sttor  with  hiu." 
The  fundatiental  difficulties  found  by  the  visiting  teacher 
were, 

(1)  School  mal-adjustment 

(2)  Faciily  uncooperative 

(3)  Unfavorable  enviroume  t 

(4)  Scholastic  inability 

(5)  Little  or  no  homo  supervision 

(6)  Finencial  need 
{")   "oalth 

The  teachers  reported  fifteen  cases  for  reasons  duiS 
t^  scolarship,  but  the  visiting  teacher  discovered  that 
tv/o  of  these  were  caused  by  school  mal-od  j  ustwent ,  ono  by 
unfavorable  environm-ont ,  three  by  health  and  the  other  nine 
by  scholastic  inability. 


31 


TAliLE  Mo.  III. 
TKEATIiIEMT  presoribed  for  the  cases  auB  found  hy  the  visiting  teacher  < 
Showing  the  number  receiving  added  attention  in  the  six  methods  of 
treatment • 


Added 

attention 

to 

Class  work 


CASE  AS  PDUaC  BY  THE  VISITING  1  BACKER 


Conduct 

Attend- 
ance 

Health 

Mental 
Attitude 

Homo  con- 
ditions 


:  School 

Ptoily 

Bad  en- 

Scholas- 

Little 

Finan- 

Health T . 

ja. 

:  rnal-ad- 

uncoop- 

viroa- 

tic  in- 

or no 

cial 

::just- 

eratMe 

aeat 

ability 

liome 

need 

:  nient 

Super- 
vision 

:       3 

1 

2 

11 

0 

0 

1 

18 

17.1 

:       4 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 

9.6 

:       2 

4 

8 

0 

2 

0 

0 

16 

16.3 

:       0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

9 

9 

6.6 

; 

:       3 

0 

6 

0 

1 

c 

3 

12 

11.4 

:       7 

2 

19 

I 

9 

2 

0 

40 

38.1 

Total  ..  19 


40 


12 


12 


13 


105  100 


6Z 


Only  fourteen  cases  were  received,  charged  witli  un- 
favorable hoae  conditions,  but  the  visiting  teacher  found 
that  there  were  seven  where  the  fsnily  was  uncooperative, 
forty  Vfith  unfavorable  environ,  ent ,  two  witli  finencisl  need, 
and  twelve  with  little  or  no  home  supervision.   These  four 
classes  might  be  grouped  top.ether  for  study.   They  comprise 
more  than  fifty  percent  of  the  entire  number  under  obser- 
vation.  This  is  evidence  that  a  better  adjustiflent  is  necess- 
ary betv/een  the  school  and  the  home. 

Proof  that  i.ore  than  circumstantial  evidence  is  need- 
ed isi  dealing  rith  ^jroblem  C3i:es  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
the  teachers  reported  just  two  health  cases  while  the 
diagnosis  by  the  visiting  teacher  discovered  thirteen  who 
v/ere  in  need  of  health  supervision.   Six  of  the  additional 
eleven  had  been  charged  with  poor  attendance,  one  with  home 
conditions,  and  three  with  scholarship. 

Treatment  Prescribed. 

Table  No  .III  shows  the  treatment  prescribed  by  the 
visiting  teacher  for  the  fundamental  difficulties  found. 
Added  attention  v;as  reconuaended  in 

(l)  Glass  work,  v/hich  includes: 

(a)  readjustment    of    standing 

(b)  Change    of   subjects 
(G)    Special    supervision 

(2)    Conduct .which   includes: 


66 


*«)  Attitude  tovsrds  teacher 

(b)  Giassa    roo;     conduct 

(c)  Attitude   out    of   school,    «nd 
(D)    Attitude  towards  the   sohool; 

(3)  Attondsnes  ^'hieh  includos: 

( e)   ferdinees 

(b)   Absence    t>nd 

(e)   Parents*   pert   in .attend cacc  ; 

(4)  Health,  which  includos: 

(a)  Clinic  ('.or© 

(b)  Proper  diet 

( e)  Better  eiething 

(d)  f^'ora   re;3uiarity 

(e)  Pleaty    of   sleep 

(5)  aeatal   attitude,   which  includes: 

(a)  Idea   of   ii.feriority 

(b)  uelief   thot  ill  health  pursues 

(c)  idea  that   teoehers   itold    ^rudrro,    end 

(d)  Thet  sehool   work   ia  too   hm-'d 

(6)  Herae   conditions  which  include: 

(a)  i oor    annlt'T 

(b)  Uaeooparwtive  ho.e 
(«)  Improper  food 

(d)  Finanoi^,  a  -.iatus 

(e)  Social    !*rouy   of   nei'^hborhood ,    end 


34 


(f)  Broken  Hosie  a.:^  noed  of  supsi-vision* 
The  folloving  data     show    lov  many  received  added  attention  and  in 
vhat  vay  it  vas  given: 

(1)  Sohool  sffis.i-Hdjustme7A: 

(a)  Glass  worJc,  tliree 

(b)  Conduct,  four 

(c)  Attendance  ^two 

(d)  Mental  attitude,  three 
(9)     iisae  ooiMiitioaSf  seven 

(2)  Ifeusdly  uncooperative 

(b)     Class  votk,  one 

(b)  Attendance «  four 

(c)  fiome  conditions «  tne 

(3)  iBtid  enviromeni 

(a)  Class  work,  two 

(b)  Conduct,  six 

(e)  Attendazice,  eight 

(d)  Mental  attitude,  five  and 

(e)  Hoae  conditions,  IJineteen 

(4)  Scholastic  iimbility 

(a)  Class  workf  el«v«i 

(b)  Borne  conditions,  one 

(5)  Little  or  no  hoaie  supervision 

(a)  Attendance,  two 

(b)  Mental  atUtude. 


35 


(c)    Home    osnditi  ons ,    one 
(7)    He?!lth 

(a)  Cla3s    work,    one 

(b)  Health    attention,    nine,    gad 

(c)  Mental    attitude,    three* 

These    findings    show  that   more    than   thirty    oi^ht    per- 
cent   of    oil    those    treated    had    added    attention    given  to    their 
home    conditions.      The    cnses    ligndled    in   the    other    fivo   v/ays 
were   rather   evenly   distributed. 


36 


Most   iilffective   Treatment 
In  many    cases   these    first    recowmendations   were    found 
to  be   insufficient    and    other   means   were    souglit.      The   raost 
effective   treatment    administered   in    the    one   hundred    five 
cases    reported    to   the   visiting   teacher   is    shown   in   table 

No.    IV.      The    five   raost    effective   measures   used    in   dealing 
«Lth   the   pupils   wore   personal    supervision,    cooperative 

agencies,    adjusted   prograi.s,    fa-dly    cooperation,    and   the 

juvon  il9  court . 

The    findings    are    over   v/holffiin.C5ly    in    favor    of   personal 
supervision    and    family    cooperation   as   the   most    effective 
aeasures   in  dealing   v/ith    cases    as    found    by   the    visiting 
teacher.      The    former  was   applied   in   thirty    seven    and    one 

tenth  percent    and    the    latter   in   twenty    six   ynd    seven   tenths 

percent    of   the    total   number   of    cases.      Cooperative   ardencies 
helped    raost    in    eii^hteen    and    one    tenth   percent,    vfhile    adjusted 
programs    relieved   the    situation    most    in    eif^ht    and    six   tenths 
percent    of    cases.      The    juvenile    court   was    appealed   to   in 
line   and    five   teith   percent    of    cases.      In    some   instances 

when    all    other   agencies   were   appealed   to    and    failed   to   bring 
ebout    results,    if    the    child   w   re    incorrigible    the    juvenile 

court    w  3   used    as    a    last    rosort.      In    some    juvenil*    court 

cases    noticeable   improvement   was   made. 


37 


TABLE  NO.  IV. 
ANALYSIS  of  final  ostiniate  of  measures  found  aost  effeetlTe^ 
showiag  measures  which  the  -vlsitlne  teacher  found  to  be  most 
effeoti'va,  analyzed  by  Aindamental     difficulty  found. 

PUHMidENTAL  MFFICULTIBS  POUND  BY  VISITING  TEAjCHEE 
Measures    :  Soholas-     Ruaily         Biad  in-       School         Health  lAttfte     Jin.     ¥7 


found  ef-i  tic  in-       incoop-       viroa-         aal  ad- 


fective 


ability   ormtive   ment      justaent 


Personal 
supervision 
(Teacher 
&  V.T.  ) 


CooperatlTd 
agencies 


Adjusted 
Procrams 

Fatailj  co- 
operation 

Juvenile 
court 


15 


8 


S 


or  no  need 
hone 
Super- 
vision 
ft     0 


39   37,1 


8 


10 


6 


7 
1 


19  lea 


9    8.6 


0    28   26.7 


0    10    9.5 


Total 


12 


40 


19 


IS    12 


2   105  100 


38 


The  Outcome  oif  Cases 

The  outcome  of  the  cases  is  the  important  part  of  the 
whole  program.   Table  lio,  V.  shows  what  had  become  of  the 
one  hundred  five  coses  at  the  end  of  the  three  year  denonstra- 
tion.   Korty  ono,  or  thirty  nine  percent  had  quit  school; 
twenty  seven^  or  twenty  five  and  seven  toiiths  percent  had 
left  the  city  --  some,  no  doubt  wore  in  scliool  elsewhere; 
twenty  one,  or  tv/enty  percent  were  still  in  school  at  Sherman; 
eleven^or  ten  and  oiie  half  percent  had  been  promoted  to  the 
senior  high  school;  three,  or  two  and  nine  tont'is  percent 
had  been  transferred  to  another  school;  two,  or  one  -and  nine 
tenths  percent  had  been  sent  to  the  industri-'^l  school.  There 
was  positive  proof  that  thirty  three  and  four  tenths  per- 
cent of  the  oases  v;ere  in  school  some->7here    at  the  close  of 
the  period.   Of  the  twenty  soven  pupils  who  moved  froia  the 
city  we  have  no  assurance  that  they  entered  school  else- 
where, nor  do  we  have  proof  that  they  did  not  enroll  in  other 
schools.   It  is  safe  to  soy  that  some  did,  because  tliey  were 
within  coiapulsory  attendance  af^e.   However,  we  do  have 
records  to  show  that  forty  one  pupils  dropped  out  oT  scliool 
entirely.   Fifty  three  percent  of  those  reported  for  scholar- 
ship, seven  percent  of  tUos^  reported  for  home  coaditi  ns, 
forty  on   percent  of  those  reported  for  conduct,  forty 
five  percent  of  those  reported  for  attendance,  and  none 


of   those    reported    for   health   had    dropped    out    of    school   before 
the  three   year  period    was    coopletod. 


TABLE  HO.  V. 
Outcome  of  Cases 
SHOTTING  what  had  becone  of  the  on©  hundred  five     caaas   and  th» 
roasons  why  they  were  referred  to  the  visiting  teacher 


Outoooe 

of                   : 

REASONS  GIVBN 

TO 

VISIIING  TEACiffiE 

V,'H2N  BEPOKTED 

oasos 

promoted 

to  H.S. 

Scholar- 
ship 

4 

liome       1 
con- 
ditions 
0 

Conduct 

Attendanc 

3             4 

Health 

e 

0 

total 
11 

Total  %. 
10.6 

Still  in 
Sherman 

1 

8 

4 

7 

1 

21 

20.0 

Left  City 

2 

4 

8 

12 

1 

27 

25.7 

Transferred, 
to  other 
schools 

0 

1 

0 

2 

0 

S 

2.9 

Sent  to 

Industrial 

School 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

2 

1,9 

Dropped 
out. 

8 

1 

11 

21 

0 

41 

39.0 

Total 


L6 


14  27  47 


2  105         100.0 


The   iilxtent    Cases    Were   Adjusted 

Table  No.    VI.    shows    tho    five    causes    for   referring   pupils 
to    the   visitirif^   teacher,    and    to    whot    extent   the    pupils    thus 
reported   were    adjusted.      In    checkinr^   up    on   each    cose   there 
was    found   to    be   no    adjustmont,    a   partial    adjustment,    or 
a  marked   improvement.      Of   the    fifteen   pupils   reported    for 
scholarship,    two    showed   no   improvement,    ten  v/ore    p'3.tially 
adjusted,    and    two    shovred    a    marked   i  ^piovement .      Two    of   the 
home    conditions    coses  wore   not    improved,     four  were   partially 
corrected,    and    eight    showed    satisfactory    results.      The    con- 
duct   cases   resulted   in  t.-elve      failinfi    of   improvement,    ten 
showed    sirens    of    yeilding   to   an   extent,    v/hile    five    showed 
gratifyin *  results.      Eighteen      attendance   problems   were   never 
solved,    fifteen    saowod    soiae    results,    and    fourteen   were    credit- 
ed  with  morked    iuiprovomont .      One   health    cose    could   not   be 
re-established    but    the    other    one   wys   placed   in   f^ood    standing. 

These   data   show    that   thirty   three   and    one   third   per- 
cent   of    the    entire   number    showed    no    improveaient ,    tViirty    seven 
and    one    tenth  percent    sliowed   partial    itaprovenient ,    and    t'vonty 
nine   and    six   tanths   percent    showed   aarked   iciprovemGnt .      The 
number   showing    improvement   might    have   been   increased    had 
it   not    been    for    soiiis    moving    fro:;'   the    city    before    the    visiting?; 
teacher  w    s   given    aiuple   time   to    get    results    froia    her  v/ork  . 
The    status    of    the   pupil    at   the    time    h©   dropped    out    or   moved 


41 


away      wos    used    in    clossifying   him  in   tablo    VI.      In    many    cases 
before    pupils    dropped    out    or   raovod    from   the    city,    partial 
or   marked   improveraent    had   been    noticed. 

There  were  no  standardized  criteria  for  measuring  the 
extent  of  improvement.  In  the  case  of  eacVi  pupil,  improve- 
ment  had   to    be    estimated.- 

This   was    done    by    the    visitinr;    teacher,    the    class    rooir. 
teachers   and   the    principal    by    comparing    his    stsndin?^    before 
being    reported    with   his    standing    after  treatraent    had    been 
appHed.      By  watchinp,    the    pupils*    conduct    and    attitude,    and 
after   his    records   were    reviewed    he   was    finally    classified 
as    unimproved,    partially   improved,    or  jr.reatly    improved.      Iii 
a  majority   of   the    ca^es    showing   iiapravement   there   wjs    also 
an    increase    over    his    previous    scholastic    3t';indinp;. 


42 


TABLE  BO.  VI* 
SHQifflBG  03Cient  eftsas  war*  adjusted  and  the  reasons  given  for  reporting 
the  eases  to  the  visiting  teaoher* 


Sxtent  of 
Adjtistment 


REASON  GIVSH  10  VISITING  TE&CHEB  WHEN  REFERRED 


Scholar-     Hose       Conduct  Health  Total  % 

ship  COB-  Attendance  Total 

ditiojns 


le  inproTe't 

2 

2 

12 

It 

1 

35 

33.3 

meat 

• 

ParUal       : 

10 

4 

10 

15 

0 

39 

37.1 

Improvement 

• 

llarked         : 

S 

8 

5 

14 

1 

51 

29.6 

• 
e 

• 

43 


Table   iio.   Vii    3li..    0    .,■-,,,    ..  ^.tJ-t,,  L.sis    j,-i*;,ij.;.-   snd    the 

pare&ts   tawara    the   visitiar^  teachor. 

Fifty  thrsQ   and   threo  tenths  fscreeat   4f  the   pu;ils   end 
fifty    t'^'O    »au    four  toatiia   perccat    of    t.ia    p^r-^ai j   vroro    coopora- 
tivo«     'i'wenty   four  and   eir»ht  tenths  pereent   of  the    sjupils   and 
tv&nty   Qir'h^   *«<^'    si  ■  tenths    .lorcejat    of  tho    o-jrents  ^cr© 
a«utral  ixi  thoip   avtiiauo.      i'i70uty   oae   aau  nine  tenths   nor- 
C8s<t  pt  the  {.upiis  aad  nineteea  poro«nt   of  th«  parents  w«r« 
©»t»gonisti<5.      Xn   0onse    cases   those  who  \^ero   bi»-tt    rly   o-.  -an,-:!! 
to   the   work   at    f j.r,'t   r/or©   lotor    converted   to    o  i^are    o&oj>orotive 
attitude. 

With  the   i>upll9   the   f^rostest  percent   ohowiiig   aat«gonig^^ 
WQS   fsuatl   asaeag  tho»o  reported    for  ettendanca,   while  with  the 
psrcats  msrs  resentsent  was  dsaonstreted   by  those   whor© 
hsate   conditi  .ns   ware     ;ivGn   us   the   reeoon    for   refsi*  j..»,.    the    eo-?© 
to   tho   visiting   teooher.     One     iiuti<-ir«4    percent    of   the   pupils 
»ho  ■a-.rs   rcforrod   because    of  ho<?e    coaditl'.ns   h«d    e  eoopera- 
tive   attituao,      mo  greatest    percent    cf    i:'ironts   displeying 
a  cooperative    spirit  wea   fouad  where   the   pupils   hod  bees 
referred   t'ocKuse   of   schtrl-rshi    . 


44 


TABLE  K  VII . 
ATTITUDE  OF  PUPILS  AND  PAREMTS  TOWARDS  THE  VISITING  1EA.CHEB 
Shoving  reasons  for  l!eportlng  to  visiting  teaoher  and  attitude  of 
pupils  and  parents  towards  the  tI siting  teaoher* 


A 
Attittde 
of  pupils 
0oopera- 
tive 


?l9utral 

Antsigoa- 
istie 


Total 


:     REASON  K>R  REPORTING  TO 

VISITING  TE&CHER 

:  Scholc  Home  con* 
:    10        14 

Conduct. 
13 

Attend. 
18 

Health 
1 

Total 
56 

Total  % 
52 .3 

5         0 

10 

10 

1 

26 

24.8 

:     0        0 

4 

19 

0 

23 

21.9 

15 


14 


27 


47 


10£ 


100 


B 
Attitude   : 
of  parents: 

• 

CooperatiTA 

13 

5 

16 

19 

1 

56 

52.4 

Heutral 

2 

5 

7 

16 

1 

SO 

28.6 

• 

Antagonistic 

t 

• 
• 

0 

4 

4 

12 

0 

20 

19.0 

Total 


15 


14 


27 


47 


105 


100 


45 


Race  Comparisons 

The  findings  in  table  Uo,    VIII.  show  tViat  the  Mexicans 
had  the  largest  percent  of  pupils  reported  for  the  percent 
of  anrolliient.   They  also  had  the  greatest  percent  showing 
improvemeiit  --  the  two  Mexicans  reported  showed  mai  ke^  iin  rove 
aent .   The  negroes  showed  a  seventy  seven  and  eight  tenths 
percent  of  improvement  for  the  siu  ber  reported.   The 
whites  were  lowest  with  only  sixty  four  percent  of  partial 
and  marked  improveiaent  for  tho  number  handled. 


%6 


TABLE  m.  VIII 
RACES  KEPORIED 
Shoeing  a  distribution  of  pupils  reported  to  the  visiting  teacher  as 
to  race  and  percent  of  improvement  for  each  race* 


Average  enrollment 
per  year 

Mwdoaa 

2 

Hegro 
60 

?M.t© 
568 

Percent  of  entire 
enrollment 

.03 

6 

95.' 

fiuBber  reported  to 
visiting  teacher 

2 

9 

94 

Percent  shewing 
some  degree  of 
iuprov«Eieat 

1.9 

6*6 

94.1 

Pereezxt  shc-'wiag 
acme  degree  of 
iaiproTeaiaiBb 

100 

7?  .3 

64.0 

47-48 


Faiailios    Koprosented 

The   data   in   table   No.    IX.    shov/   thot   nine    families 
contributed    nineteen   percent    of    the    total    nuribor    of    cases 
reported    to    tho    visitinj?   teacher.      In   practically    ovory    one 

<f   these    nine    families    the   difficulty   w»3    found    to    be    in   the 
home.      This    seems    to    show   that    problem    eases    prevail    in 
certain   homes    and    it    is    a   good    policy    to    watch    other    children 

coining    from    a    home   where    one    child    is    already   under  treatment. 

Table  BO.  IX. 

PA}flLT  EEPRESEIttBD 

Shewing  distribution  of  pupils  reported  to  the  visiting;  teacher 

as  to  fBnilles* 

Percent  of 
Mo*  of  fsBdlies  total  run*  of  fasdlise 

One  pupil  from 

a  family  85  90 

Two  pupils 

froM  a 

fludly  T  f 

Three  pupils 

from  a 

laadly  2  '5 


Pra-delinquer.-*  3  Versus   Delinquents 


49 


The    findings   in   table    '.lo.    X,    show   thet    tv/enty   tvo, 
or   twenty    one    percent    of    the    pupils    referred   to    i  iss    Fair- 
child    hed    reached    the    delinquent    stsf^e   before    they   wore 
reported.      This    tabic?    also    shows    th^at    the   delinquoiits    v/cre 
either    charged    with   poor    attendance    or    poor    conduct. 

Seventy    four   percent    of    the    pro-delinquent o    showed 
some   degree    of    improvement    as    contrasted    with   thirty    six 
and    four    tenths    percent    of   delinquents,    a   difference    of 
thirty    seven    and    six  tenths    percent. 

Of   the    twenty    two    delinquent s, thirteen,    or    sixty 
percent   dropped    out    of    school    as    contrasted   with   thirty    four 
percent    of   pra-delinquent s,    a  difference    of   twenty    six   per- 
cent, 


50 


TABLE  1K>.7^ 
Gcmparlson  of  Celinquszxis  and  Fre-dalinquents  as  Claasified 
when  reported* 

A*       ReeuMBS  for  being  reportt3d* 
fi.       Sxtent  of  laprereBeat* 

C*       Outeome  of  oas^ 

A 


Scholarship 

Hoae  Conditions 

Conduct 

AttendAnoe 

Health 

Total 


Pr e-de 1 i  nqueni 
15 

14 

16 

36 

2 

83 


Delinquent 
0 


11 

11 

0 


22 


Percentage 

Percentage 

of  total 

of  total 

predelin- 

delinquents 

quents 

Mo  iBprevenesxt 

21 

26 

14 

63.6 

Partial  * 

55 

42.2 

4 

18.2 

iiarked   " 

27 

31.8 

4 

18.2 

Promotion  to  U.S. 

10 

Still  at  Sherman 

19 

Left  City 

25 

Transferred 

2 

Industrial  Sohool 

1 

Cropped 

26 

I 

2 
4 
1 
1 
13 


51 


The  prevention  of  delinquency  is  the  paramount  purpose 
of  the  visiting  teacher  work..    It.  is   a  difficult,  matter. .for         c 
class   rooja  teachers  viho  are  untrained  in  social  work  and  the 
have  no  set  of  criteria  for  testing  the  symptoais  of  delinquency 
to  b©  able  to  report  cusqb  before  th^  pass  the  pra-dellnquant  st&ga* 
It  is  iapossibl*  for  tlya  visiting  teacher  to  go  about  the  soliool 
and  pi  ok  out  the  pre-dQllncpiani  oases  in  the  same  manner  ia  which 
a  health  mxrse  would  segregate  pupils  who  show  symptoms  of  aeaales, 
chicken  pox,  or  other  ailiuents  •     The  absence  of  definite  criteria 
in  reporting  pre-delinquent  c&ses  to  the  visiting  teacher  resulted 
in  the  rejtiction  of  a  fenr  cases  by  the  principal,  when  the  ervt.denoe 
foviad  did  tot  show  that  the  pupil  was  tending  towards  incorrigibility* 
The  foregoing  tabulation  reveals  the  importance  of  cheeking  the 
tezsian^  towards  deliaqaeney  before  it  beoones  chronic* 


52 


ChapterVil. 
OFFICii  RECJORDiJ  STUDIlilD 

Some  people  expect  too  rauch  of  the  visitin.r^  teacher 
They  even  believe  that  her  work  should  affect  the  records 
of  the  whole  school.   So-vo  of  the  office  records  have  been 
exa  ined  to  see  what  effect  the  visiting  teaeher  demonstra- 
tion hfid  upon  tVieu!.   Table  Ko.  XI.  shows  the  records  of 
attendance,  promotions,  failures,  and  drop  outs  for  the 
entire  school  for  a  period  for  five  years.   This  includes 
the  two  years  prior  to  the  be-^inninj^  of  the  visitinrr  tescher 
work  . 

In  attendance  there  had  been   a  very   egligible  i  crease 
in  the  past  three  years  over  the  tvo  year  period  previous 
to  thst  ,  Sickness ,  epideraitts ,  bud  weather,  and  other  thin^is 
affect  attendsnce  to  such  oa  e-.tent  thvt  tho  visitin'-  teacher 
would  have  but  little  influence  upon  it  in  deolin  •  with 
such  small  numbers  of  pupils  out  of  the  entire  student  ' ody. 

The  percent  of  increase  in  promotions  is  sc-orcely  v/orth 
conaiderinr^.   Tho  saae  table  shows  the t  there  vras  an  increase 
in  the  percent  of  drop  outs. 


53 


feble  Ko.  XI, 
OFFICE  n-'-'r'-!--nn 

£»h»win2  tho  jjorconl.  of  yttendon  e,  promotions,  foilur«3 
and  drap  outs  for  the  whole  Pohool  over  o   ngriod  of  fivo 
yo- rs,  ineiuding  tho  three  yeur  dotni.iatrati  jii  period  end  the 
two  yoars  previous. 


Y@ar 

-ittondonco 
percent 

I'ro'  otiouQ 

;3r'jc;  t 

I'ollurog 

;iRr  ^n..:t 

Drop  outs 

V-  rcont 

10  20 

9  5.4 

'^4.3 

:*.7 

.4 

1921 

95. 9 

92,3 

7.7 

5,1 

19  23 

95.7 

93.3 

6.9 

-'.2 

1923 

9u.5 

91.4 

s.r> 

£.2 

19  24 

95.0 

95.4 

4.6 

S.l 

Table  Ro.  Xii  shows  the  distribution  in  percents  of 
nornnol,  over  rxre ,    and    under  a.(;e  pupils  for  three  years. 
Records  preTious  to  th'rc  tifiS  were  not  available.   These 
figures  shovr  that  the  over  o<t,o    dropped  from  57.3'  to  48/. 
in  tro  yecrs.   The  norEcl  pupils  increased  from  ZG.Of-    to 
37.6;^,  while  the  uv  der  age  pupils  increased  from  n.?/.  to 
14.4;'.   The  incroaso  in  under  age  pupils  would  more  then 
aake  up  the  loss  in  ovor  y':o.   The  greatest  influence  upon 
these  changes  was  due  to  the  effective  work  dcno  in  the 
elei'ientory   schools  by  the  oiementory  teac'iers.   However, 
the  visitin';  teacher  may  have  brour^ht  oc^'out  some  adjustments 
that  added  considerably  to  the  favoro'ile  results.   She 
spent  tv.'o  lays  per  vreek  in  one-  of  the  elementary  schools 
that  proaotes  its  pupils  to  "tne  tiherman  Junior  Hif.h  School. 
There  is  a  greater  possibility  for  her  work  to  influence 
changes  in  retardation  than  in  school  records  mentioned 
iu  table  No.  XI.   Even  in  -jgo  gjrede  table  changes  there 
is  little  hope  for  improven'ent  whoa  such  a  few  cases  are 
treated. 


Table  I!o.  Xii  shows  the  distribution  in  perconts  of 
normol,  over  or'e,  and  under  af;e  pupils  for  three  years. 
Records  preieious  to  that  tiiae  were  n  t  available.   These 
figures  shoi?  that  the  over  n^o    dropped  from  57.3'/'  to  48^ 
in  tv'o  years.   The  norocl  pupils  increased  from  35.0)^.  to 
37.6'/,  vrhile  the  uv.dor  age  pupils  increased  from  0.7/.  to 
14.4/i.   The  increase  in  under  age  pupils  would  mora  than 
make  up  the  loss  in  over  a^'e.   The  greatest  influence  upon 
these  Ghanfjes  vbs   due  to  the  effective  vrork  douo  in  the 
elo  'ontgry   schools  by  the  nlewentory  teac'iers.   I'owever, 
the  visitin'^  teacher  may  have  brou.!;ht  ;jL^out  some  adjustments 
that  added  considerably  to  the  favorQi>le  results.   She 
spent  tT.'o  Jays  per  vreek  in  one-  of  the  elementary  schools 
that  promotes  its  pupils  io  tne  bherman  Junior  High  School. 
There  is  a  greater  possibility  for  her  v/ork  to  influence 
changes  in  retardation  than  in  school  records  mentioned 
in  table  No.  XI,   riven  in  ggo  grade  table  changes  there 
is  little  hope  for  iraproveinent  v/hon  such  a  fev;  cases  are 
treated. 


^% 


Table  Wo.  XII 
Age  r.rode    iobleo    for  i'hroo   Yoars 

Showing   the    age   (gratia   tables    ond    a   diotribution    in  percent 

oi    t'lo    n.jrnyl    n-o,    ovnr    o'O,    or.d    under    •"•©    pupils    during 
tiXQ   tVireti   yeyi*  period    oi'   tuo   uocionsti'otion* 


Vear    '      Tatal   f!o. 

studeato       liormol   «»rro        Svor   o-o     undor   oio;b 


19  22 

D80 

19  23 

584 

19  24 

6^1 

SCO 

L.7.3 

'  .7 

37.2 

50.7 

l?..l 

37.6 

48.0 

1-^.1 

56 


Chapter  VIII. 


C/.RE  BTORTBS. 


Throe  case  stoties  are  given  here  to  illustrate  the  three 
typea  of  adjustment:-  (1)  no  liaprovenent,  (2)  lartial  inprovenent, 
and  (3)  marked  ir.provenent : 

Ko«  1,   Lucy,  age  thirteen,  reported  for  cornduct. 

Lucy  was  promoted  froa  the  grade  school  to  the  Junior 
ia.gh  School  in  the  Edddle  of  the  school  year  at  the  age  of  twelTre. 
She  tms  eeneraic  and  appeared  older  than  she  really  vras.   Ffer  interest 
in  her  school  trork  vras  rather  negligible.   The  teaclere  coaplained 
about  her  appearance.   She  wore  "frilly"  clothes  and  poodored  and 
painted  excessively.   She  wag  "boy  stinok",  but  her  attentions  were 
devoted  to  older  >oy8,  and  those  usually  not  in  school.   7br  attitude 
in  school  was  usually  better  than  it  vms  out  of  school.   Slie  vras 
token  to  task  quite  severly  by  one  of  the  teachers  for  using  rouge 
and  lip  stick  so  freely.   This  antagonized  her  and  made  It  hard  to 
approach  her  teroofter  along  thxit  line.   A  sister  had  been  sone- 
■»hat  of  the  sane  type  of  a  girl  and  was  sent  to  the  Girls  Industrial 
Bchool  when  the  father  charged  her  ^slth  incorrigibility. 


Of 


When  the  visiting  teaoher  was  asaignod  to  the  school,  Lucy  '■ff&e 
one  of  tho  first  pupils  report^^d  to  her.   A  careful  investigation  showed 
that  ti:e  hor;<a  was  largely  r©  ponsible  for  the  child's  attitude.   Eesides 
th>e  sister  in  the  Industrial  School,  ,a  larother  had  been  married  but 
•was  later  divorced  fron  his  wife,  and  oame  home  to  live.  The   father 
and  QOther  lived  togot'ier  only  intemittently.   The  father  and  the 
son  did  little  to  support  the  famly  so  tii©  incoiie  v/os  left  to  the 
mother  who  worked  at  odd  jobs.   'fliey  moved  often  and  usually  took 
«n  old  hcase  wfiere  rent  was  cheap  and  where  the  neig' bor^.ood  environ- 
Bient  was  unattractivsa 

lAicy  had  no  appreciation  of  her  mother's  efforts  to  raake  a 
living.   She  dressed  entirely  beyond  her  neans.   In  school  she  was 
given  the  nane  of  "Baby  vanp".   Her  attraction  for  oldor  boys  caused 
her  to  feij^n  illness  and  stay  out  of  schorl  to  play  around  with 
young  nen  while  her  mother  v/as  away  working.   S>ie  finally  fell  in 
with  a  young  nan  who  had  been  an  innate  of  the  state  reforiaattay* 
Bis  record  after  his  parole  was  imsatisfactory  and  he  was  re-sentenced 
for  robbery.   Uioy  would  not  change  her  attitude  toi/ard  him  even  after 
that* 

The  visiting  teacher  resomnended  a  physical  examination  to 
determine  if  Lucy  had  a  good  reason  for  being  absent  so  frequently. 


58 


The  doctor  found  nothing  that  was  derioue  enough  tt^  Iceep  her  from 
school.   Ihe  visiting  teacher  tried  various  plans  to  larouse  an 
interest  in  school  work  but  Trithout  succsIse.   Finally  V* 
truancy  officer  had  a  conference  with  he  J*  ■which  lelped  foi?  awhile. 
The  girl  ceased  iwing  powder  and  paint  a£|  before,  but  ^«r  iriind  traB 
al\9Bys  wandering  far  afield.   She  was  in  school^-  ecaiiso  she  feared 
the  jitvenile  court. 

During  the  stanoer  of  192'  while  the  visiting  teaclier  was  awstj^, 
the  family  nwvod  to  another  part  of  the  city.   !Tias  Pairchild  was 
under  the  iraprsssion  that  they  had  left  the  city  so  sl-S3  did  not 
try  to  trace  then.   Later  in  the  year  she  learned  of  their  wherea- 
bouts and  called  to  sec  ■Hiiy  Lucy  waa  not  in  school.   Tto  her 
astonishraent  sfie  found  Lucy  lioldlng  a  baby  which  had  been  born  only 
a  fev7  days  before.   Tine  nano  of  the  father  of  the  child  wa»  not 
divulged. 

T5ie  visiting  teacher  spent  Kore  time  on  this  one  case  than 
on  any  other  case  in  her  three  years'  vrork-       The  girl  and  her 
family  did  not  respond  in  a  manner  that  could  in  any  way  be  con- 
sidered an  iiBprovoJ!i«B-it.   She  exhausted  her  store  of  varied  ^/ays  in 
dealing  with  problen  ciiildren  without  making  smch  impression. 
Ho«raver«  lAicy  did  not  appear  resentful  towards  Fiss  Fairchild. 
It  was  a  case  w)  ere  the  child  nould  not  do  anything  to  help  herself. 


59 


She  soenod  self  satiBfied  and  t-onted  to  look  after  hor  own  affairs* 
Even  after  the  situation  had  reached  a  critical  stage  the  visiting 
t-acher  made  an  endeavor  to  find  a  Job  for  Lucy  so  that  she  could 
help  support  the  fendly.   Ihe  work  that  Kiss  Fairchild  did  n«y 
shov  up  in  Luoy's  life  out  of  school  "but  it  brovight  about  no 
favorable  change  In  the  school. 

Ko*2 :-  Bill  -  reported  for  scholarship* 

Bill  was  in  the  seventh  grade  and  reported  becpuse  of  his  in 
ability  to  keep  pace  vrith  his  class*   He  was  an  unforttmate  youth 
of  seventeen*   The  visiting  teaohdr  traced  the  cause  of  his 
retardation  to  defective  hearing  and  Icr  nentality.   las  conduct 
was  good  in  school  and  his  mother  reported  that  he  had  always  been 
an  obedient  son  at  hone*   He  was  large  and  strot^  and  took  a  great 
Interest  in  athletics.   The  coach  discovered  that    Bill  had 
little  difficulty  in  getting  foot  ball  signals.   It  xras  found 
later  that  Sill's  auditory  apparatus  permitted  hin  to  hear  male 
voices  better  than  high-pitched  ones* 

A  physical  eacanination  revealed  an  abnormal  condition  of  the 
ear  that  ■would  not  yield  to  treetrient.   A  mental  test  shonred  his 
low  reentality. 

The  visiting  teacher  listened  to  his  mother's  story  and 
learned  of  the  son  s  greut  desire  to  go  to  college  to  study 
engineering.   She  understood  his  case  and  reluctantly  but 


60 


philosophically  abandoned  the  hope  th^t  his  drean  would  ever  be 
re&lised* 

The  boy's  case  vnxB   pothetio-   JJ©  could  not  carry  his 
acad^Jirdc  siib;iocts  and  nake  passing  grades*   Ife  becaine 
despondent  when  he  realized  that  h*  trould  be  unable  to  qualify  for 
oollege  entrance.   ''©  li'as  urged  to  take  prevoeational  studies  and 
onit  acaderiic  ones  but  at  first  he  remonstrated.   Finally  he  "Bras 
given  s!ub;j©cts  of  his  choice,  iiis  teachers  \7ere  told  of  the 
situation  and  urged  to  assist  hiia  as  much  as  possible.   Lis  interest 
in  physical  training  brou^t  him  in  contact  with  the  coach  and 
Eiany  of  t!ie  large  boys.   He  showed  a  greet  developcjent  in  a 
physical  way. 

Bill  remained  in  school  a  couple  of  years  and  gained  a 
little  fr(H3  his  books.   IJovrever,  his  greatest  gain  ca:ne  from  his 
contacts  in  athletics.   tse  finally  dropped  out  of  school  to  dri^re 
a  track  for  his  uncle  v-lio  was  a  contractor.   I'rlille  in  school  he 
tried  hard  ond  cooperated  well  but  his  physical  and  nental  handi- 
caps limted  his  progrefjs.   IS.s  case  "was  only  partially  adjusted, 
but  his  life  vrill  be  a  little  better  lived  because  he  had  sotae 
special  attention  at  the  tl*ne  when  his  fondest  dreaa  was  tliwnrted. 


Oi 


No.  S:  Stan  -  referred  because  of  attendance. 

This  lad,  fwirteen  years  old  and  &  member  of  t'le  seventh  grade 
class  attended  school  "very  intermittently.   lie  usually  brought  an 
excuse  frcm  his  nother  ptating  that  ho  had  been  sick.   Various  boys 
reported  seeing  him  ??ith  his  father  at  the  sand  pit. 

;!is8  Fairchild  took  the  case  and  learned  at  o  ce  that  the  parents 
firere  not  doing;  all  they  could  in  keeping  the  boy  in  school.   They 
lived  close  to  tlie  river  and  Stan  preferred  u-atchirig  the  lasn  at  the 
sand  pit  rather  thanottending  school.   He  constantl7,'-  coinplained  of 
not  feeling  wbII.   jln  exeraination  revealed  that  he  was  much  over 
weight  and  vms  >»ving  trouble  v/ith  inl'eotion  on  his  body.   He 
finally  developed  a  very  sore  foot  which  caused  him  to  be  taken  out 
of  school  by  the  rwree.   He  was  unable  to  return  to  school  for 
several  months,  but  he  finally  recovered  frcMn  hie  ailment  and 
returned.  By  supervising  hia  closely  he  was  placed  in  good  standing 
in  his  classes  and  becane  one  of  the  most  cons^cientious  boys  in 
school.   Through  the  visiting  teacher's  influence  he  was  ©:nployed 
as  a  messenger  boy  at  the  v.'estern  Union  during  the  summer  months 
and  caiae  back  full  of  enthusiaKa  in  the  fall  and  finished  his 
eight  grade  work.  Tim   noney  he  had  nade  was  spent  for  clothes. 
His  contact  irith  people  while  in  the  messenger  service  and  the 
morale  added  by  his  nsw  clothes  code  'dm  a  different  felloir  from 


62 


the  one  we  had  seen  In  the  seventh  g^rade* 

This  is  a  case  of  narked  improvement.   It  took  a  lot  of  tact- 
ful work  to  reclata  this  boy  fr<Mn  a  stat*  that  would  have  soon 
resiilted  In  a  cosnplote  break  with  the  school.  Ln   it  turned  out 
he  finished  the  eight  g^ade  and  vrent  to  v/ork  at  a  fnirly  good  Job* 

Just  last  year  he  \ms  very  Kuoh  out  of  sorts  with  s  younger 
brother  who  had  "^obs  taken  Into  the  jxivenile  court  becauae  of 
attendance* 

The  City  of  Ilxtchinaon,  or  the  comiainitiefi  in  which  he  make* 
his  hone  is  going  to  have  n  stronger  citizen  because  Stan  was 
referred  to  the  visiting  teaoher  while  in  tlie  Sherman  Junior  High 
School* 


Chapter  TX« 

O^EE\"ATIOKS  BY  TE/iCI]ERS  AH)  OTT^ERS. 

A  quostioSnire  was  ssnt  oat  to  all  of  the  twenty-three  teacherr 
of  the  Siernan  Junior  Iligh  School  after  the  visitin*  teacher  demonstr  - 
tlon  hsiA  been  in  progress  nenrly  '■"■?"  veers.       The  most  important 
question  aeked  «as :     •*Do  you  beliere  that  t!-;©  visiting  teacher  move- 
ment is  worth  eontinEiing  in  our  school?"     nineteen  of  the  teachers 
replied  to  th©  question.       Sixtoen  of  Uiose  answering  were  heartily 
in  favor  of  contiraxing  the  movenent;  tv/o  v:ere  indifferent;  and  one 
vras  opposed  to  it* 

Following  are  sone  ijfiotations  from  the  ansvrers  of  the  teachers 

n 
to  the  questionaire: 

(1)  "1  think  there  should  be  a  visiting  teooher  for 
each  building,  for  I  <3o  not  believe  that  T'lss  Fairchild 
has  tine  to  really  carry  out  the  "^ork  for  which  she  has 
been  trained.       She  can  only  follovf  up  the  vrorst  cases, 
■while  tliere  »-ire  dozens  of  children  isho  could  be  helped, 
w};o  are  not  abnornal  but  just  nead  a    'lift*.       Tlss  Fair- 
child  gave  1T&  reaeon  for  a  different  point  of  vierr  about 
tv.'o  boys  in  Shoman  1*0  have  provoked  me  to  intolerance 
many  tirr^s." 

(2)   mI   thini:  the  visiting  teacher  has  been  of  great 
value  to  fihorrxui,   in  t'at,    .•^irrt,    she  is  bringing  about 
t>at  contact  of  school  with  home  for  tirhich  there  lias  been 
a  long  felt  need  in  idl   sciooif?.  t-ad,   sscc --d,   she  is 

getting  highly  conroendable  results  from  that  contact. 

?5Qy  I  venture  these  rernark.s  vrhioh  I  deeiTi  facts?     !'any  of 


the  best  results  of  the  visiting  teacher's  work  are 
intangible.   Iter  task  is  a  diffictilt  one.   £>he  is 
pioneering  in  a  field.   She  hap  not  come  to  us  trying 
to  force  her  •work  into  the  line  light  but  she  is  pro- 
ceeding cautioiiBly,  efficiently,  and  in  all  sincerity. 
She  deserves  tha  cooperation  she  is  getting  and  more  if 
r>..;'.-es'?'j'7,'-,  a.id  she  n-^eds  plenty  of  tine*" 

(3)  "In  the  tv/-o  conferences  I  have  had  with  the  visit- 
ing teac^Ter  I  gained  s  greater  insight  5Lnto  the  hone  contt 
ditio."f?  and  personal i tie?  of  the  two  students  discussed. 
In  one  case  I  received  advice  which  has  helped  me  in  ad- 
jtisting  th«  case*" 

''-l)  "TJ^e  Tisiting  teacher  has  been  a  groat  help  to 
Shen!»n  Schfool,  bct-b  in  interpreting  the  aiae  and  demands 
of  the  ecliool  to  the  parents  and  in  bringing  hor-e  coi^i- 
tions  and  the  outside  interest  of  the  child  to  the  toaohers. 
Tlspeclally  has  help  been  given  to  pupils,  who  h^ve  been 
beloTT  str.ndRrd  in  their  studies.— and  in  mar^cases  companion- 
ship Iv  s  been  given  to  children  who  have  practically  no 
liome  life." 

(6)  "-o  teachers  have  neither  the  ti?n©  nor  the 
training  necessary  to  carry  on  such  irork  efficiently." 

(6)  "So  far  as  I  am  able  to  ;iudge  I  can  see  no 
value  that  the  visiting  teacher  has  V-eei";  to  the  school. 
The  most  of  the  cases  that  I  know  anything  about  have  been 
of  the  t7/pe  of  boy  or  girl  that  the  school  vfould  have  been 
bettsr  off  without.   I  feel  that  tliey  have  daie  more  ham 
to  our  pure,  innocent  pwpils  than  is  warranted  by  the  help 
^7»  have  beendble  to  give  th«n.   I  have  received  better 
i*©8u.lts  when  I  have  reported  to  t]:e  school  nirsie  than  when 
I  reported  to  the  visitit)g  teaoler*" 

(7)  "Having  a  visitiaag  teacher  in  SlTemen  lias  con- 
vej/ed  clearly  to  in©  sens  of  th©  startling  infoirrjation  con- 
cerning the  hone  conditions  and  environment  of  our  students. 
I  holieve  nors  conferences  v<rith  "iter  vtcnxld   enable  re  to 
understand  more  of  l-.e  cases.*' 


65 


(8)  "I  think  -.Te  have  not  fiilly   >preo?st«d  our  oppor- 
tuiiity,  but  if  ive  try  I  believe  ^t©  can'   derive  the  greatest 
b«nefit  from  the  work  of  the  visiting  teacher." 

(9)  "i;5hile  it  sacsns  that  too  many  have  dropped  out  of 
school,  yet  I  believe  t  lat  nore  vnjuld  have  been  dropped  had 
Miss  Pairchild  not  vrorked  so  persistently  to  keep  them  in." 

(10)  "I  believe  tlie  visiting  teacher  can  solve  problens 
through  her  investigations  •arhich  the  teachers  would  never  be 
able  to  solve.   The  teachers  just  know  the  ch.ild  through  the 
class  work  wliile  the  visiting  teacher  kno^s  }:in  through  the 
hone  in  addition  to  the  class  room." 

After  the  deaonstration  tod  been  in  larogress  tr/o  years  In  Ilxtohin- 

Bon,  Kansas,  Ur,  Howard  ••  Mudd,  Director  of  Public  Eduootion  Associt- 

tion  of  the  City  of  Hew  York,  attended  a  \7elfare  convention  in  liitchin- 

s<m.   .  "hile  in  the  city  he  investigated  the  work  that  vas  being  done 

by  the  visiting  teacher.   He  spoke  before  the  Sherman  Junior  High 

School  student  body  in  assenijly  one  morning  and  endorsed  the  work  of 

18.88  Fairohild  raost  heartily.   He  congratulated  the  teachers  and  the 

students  of  the  school  on  having  the  opportunity  to  work  with  one  who 

was  so  vitally  concerned  with  the  welfare  of  the  school.   It  was  his 

desire  tfat  those  who  had  not  met  Miss  Fairohild  should  endeavor  to  do 

so  before  the  close  of  the  tern. 

Superintendent  J»W,  Govrans  of  the  liutchinson  schools  v/as  largely 

responsible  for  one  of  the  thirty  visiting  teachers  demonstrations 

being  placed  in  that  city.   It  was  he  whc  sold '^e  idea,  which  was 

an  entirely  new  one  in  that  sohool  system,  to  the  Eoerd  of  Education 


66 


and  secured  tVeir  epproval  to  imrite  the  Jfetional  Coeimittee  to 

inaugurate  the  novenent  In  lutchinson.   It  vsls   upon  hi» 

recoanendation  after  t.^ie  daaonstretion  had  been  In  operation  over 

a  period  of  three  years  t'lat  the  &>ard  of  Education  voted  to  take  ov 

over  t  e  work  arvSL   add  an  additional  trained  visiting  teacher  to  the 

school  syetesi* 

Of  the  work  done  by  the  visiting  teacher  during  t!)e  three  years 

denoninstration  period,  I ¥«j.?i«.  Gorans   says, 

"Tlie  visiting  teacher  hv.es   '  elped  ptfiterialljr  in  hringing 
about  a  hotter  relation  between  the  "none  and  t  e  school 
in  the  bid.ldin£B  in  xrhich  she  has  'worked." 


67 


Chapter  X* 

CONCLUSIONS. 

The  viaiting  teaoher's  work  in  the  Sheran  Junior  High  School 
registered  nart^  mstokes  during  the  three  year  demonstration  period. 
It  was  a  new  idea  inaugurated  in  a  school  -where  the  principal  and  the 
teachers  were  not  trained  for  it  and  knew  little  about  its  possibil- 
ities.  Too  often,  it  ■5?ns  looked  upon  as  a  novenent  that  TS'ould 
eliminate  problan  oases  over  night,  and  in  some  instances  when  it  v/as 
discovered  that  the  visiting  teacher  possoBsed  no  wand  with  which  to 
oura  troublesome  oases  in  an  instant  there  was  sore  doubt  as  to  her 
usefulness  in  the  school.   There  seemed  to  be   a  tendency  on  the  part 
of  people  to  want  the  visiting  teacher  to  do  things  in  a  miraculous 
way*   It  must  be  one  ©f  the  achievements  of  the  movement  to  get 
people  to  consider  the  healing  of  nental  and  social  ills  in  the  sane 
way  they  view  the  treatment  of  physical  ailments.   In  bringing  a 
patient  back  to  partial  or  narked  in^wovenent  in  health  when  he  is 
suffering  from  tubercular  trouble  vre  do  not  expect  the  improvenent 
to  be  instantaneous.   Then  why  shaild  v/e  expect  a  child  \rho   is 
affected  with  chronic  inal-adoustinent  to  "take  up  his  bed  and  walk" 


68 


after  t:«  vieltlnf,  teatfwr  he*  ^«^  N«r  ftmt  Interviaw  with  bin' 

tfa*  awudng  of  th©  sl^isn  <rf  tha  CenEsoranBCilth  Fund  prof^ess  for 
the  Prtwentijwi  aP  Dellnqp»n^  -"It  In  ©eeier  to  prervont  dellrqueney 
than  to  etir«  it"  has  o  graator  significance  enong  tl^.o  teaclisra  of 
ihm  S^iasiaan  Jxuilor  Tdgh  re:  ool  since  they  oncountsred  rnai^r  obstacles 
in  teeXing  with  cases  of  in  orrigibility  oniong  those  reported  to  tfs 
"Visiting  toaeJior. 

launy  of  tl  ='  one  'ui-stired  five  ce8a«  tl»t  ware  reported  to  tlas 
FisiixTdld  etwuld  liave  "been  treated  la  their  pre-delinquenoy.       Ihere 
had  been  an  ajscHrtilation  ef  oeees  till  the  eohool  docket  vsne  cro5?ded, 
end  -tthea  ^lie  visiting  teaelier  arrived  t'lese  oases  eettned  so  pressing 
tliat  tle^/  orosded  oi^t  thoee  that  were  less  otrvioiui  and  lees  trouble- 
sore*       Ckta  third  trf*  the  esitire  nEaaber  reported  shotted  no  inprove- 
QSRt*       This  was  largely  due  to  tiie  fact  t}«t  thsy  ewre  in  tl«  stages 
of  chronic  dolin^wioy  wh«i  referred*       If  the  work  is  to  ho  continuo 
in  the  sd-jool  this  error  ean  be  a"»70ided  in  Vho  future  t>y  attending  to 
them  before  tJ:^  roaoh  th«  corr«sti<»»l    stage* 

the  siwoy  ante  aaong  the  teaohore  to  deiorains  tiieir  attit-^de 
toi/ards  the  visiting  teaeler  ^stsrk    uncovered  8ois«  <rf  the  short  G<»3inf;8 
of  t-e  local  prooodure.        fliere  was  a  ^neral  feeling  tlicit  rsore 
eooporetlon  betaeen  ii'jo  teaehsr  and  the  visiting  teae^^r  was  needed* 

■aiey  also  desired  n  bettor  tou'orstanding  of  t'seir  part  in  tl»  work 

The     teaohars     were     heartily     in     favor     of     the     work 


69 


■but  felt  that  it  could  be  a  greater  success  if  t'ne  above  sugf;estion 
-vere  practiced  aore* 

The  ervldences  of  ir?provenont  in  two  thirds  of  the  cases 
reported  to  the  visiting  teacher  is  positive  proof  that  her  influ- 
ence VQs  felt*   Statistics  can  never  reveal  tlie  value  of  this 
inproveraent  in  tJie  lives  of  the  individuals  and  in  their  contribu- 
tions as  citizens.   It  is  easy  to  believe  t?iat  •Qie  city  of 
Eutohinson  has  had,  &n&  will  have  a  fmr  less  cases  in  the  jtivonile 
court,  and  in  the  future  Tdll  be  less  apt  to  contribute  to  the  penal 
institutions  because  of  tlie  seventy  boys  and  girls  ■who  vrevQ   irJ^luenced 
by  the  attention  of  the  viriting  teacher.   ihey  are  going  to  live 
t}-«ir  lives  a  little  better  and  isqoeaee  on  society  a   little  less. 
They  villadjust  themselves  in  the  social  groups  vith  greater  ease 
and  avoid  some  of  tVie  discj^ointraents  of  mal-adjustraent  in  later  life* 

The  fact  that  the  visting  teacher  danonstration  rme   in 
progress  for  three  years  in  the  sohool  caused  the  teachers  and  the 
principal  to  think  of  retardation,  truancy,  cf-ironio  non-attendance, 
dellnqiienoy,  and  defect  more  in  terms  of  cause  than  in  terns  of  bad 
conduct.   Hie  literatia-e  concerning  probleiae  cases  that  was  brought 
into  the  sohool  and  •which  "i^s  read  by  the  teachers;  tl«  suggestions 
given  occasionally  by  the  visiting  teachers  and  other  social  workers; 


70 


and  the  awakening  vrithin  the  teaching  force  gradually  bxiilt  up 
a  different  attiti^e  towards  thoee  dif f icul tie*  among  the  pupils 
which  did  not  aanifest  th^uselves  openly. 

For  the  improvement  of  the  visiting  teacher  service  the  writer 
wishes  to  recomnend  that  criteria  "be  "^orked  out  that  can  be  used  by 
tiie  class  room  teacher  in  deternining  when  a  child  is  pre-delinquent 
and  ready  to  be  referred  to  tlie  visiting  toac'er.   If  teachers  are 
equipped  Trith  reliable  tests  that^  can  be  applied  they  vrill  be  more 
adeq'oately  prepared  to  cooperate  with  the  visiting  teacher.   'without 
sofne  standardized  way  of  detecting  predelinquency  tiie  class  roouj 
teachers  vary  too  such  in  judgment  'sihen  the  matter  is  left  to  them  to 
decide* 

The  writer  vrould  ^rarna  gainst  the  publishing  of  reports  of 
pupil  study  cases  even  though  the  names,  places  and  occupations  are 
disguised.   Puch  reports  ray  reach  the  liands  of  persons  who  will 
oppose  the  work  of  tiie  visiting  teach«r  for  fear  of  publicity.   This 
is  not  a  criticism  of  the  work  of  36.88  Fairchild  but  it  is  a  v/arning 
to  others  who  h^ve  jmblished  detailed  reports  containing  confidential 
inforraation.   *ere  are  dozens  <tf  sucK  reports  on  tJ»  writer's  desk 
at  this  tine. 

Apparently  it  is  not  one  of  the  functions  of  tie  program  to 
follow  up  coses  after  they  Ipovo  school.   Ikw/ever,  it  seens  feasible 


that  close  irrotchlng  might  make  the  visiting  teacher  service  more 
effective.   In  sorae  eases  'Ise  Falrchild  followed  jwpils  even  after 
they  Tsere  out  of  school  and  "irae  able  toassist  then  on  ceveral 
occasions.  Teto   often  pupils  drop  out  at  tlie  tLne  -^hen  they  are  oost 
in  need  of  personal  supervision*   A  few  ninutes  spent  on  saeh  coses 
occasionally  cdg^.t  tolFter  the  child  tip  enough  to  tide  hin  over  the 
dangerous  period* 

If  tl«  service  is  to  be  continued  in  the  Sherman  School  the 
errors  of  the  past  thxee  j/ears  sl.ould  be  avoided.   Biere  should  be 
a  clearer  understanding  of  the  vrork  by  the  entire  school  staff. 
Cooperation  should  be  trell  established.   Ihere  should  not  be  a 
repetition  of  the  act  of  spending  a  lorgo  percent  of  tine  on  cases 
of  incorrigibility  at  the  expense  of  pre-delinquent  cases*   The 
pupils  should  be  vratolied  more  closely  to  prsrvent  pupils  from  reaching 
the  delinquent  stage  before  being  referred  to  the  visiting  teacher. 
A  more  complete  record  of  each  ptipil  should  be  accessible  to  the 
fffincipal  and  the  class  roon  teacher. 

The  writer  lias  carefully  examined  the  findings  of  the  survey. 
In  some  cases  it  has  l:»en  necessory  to  discount  the  favorable  results 
because  of  unfavorable  findings.   Hosever,  the  balance  is  still  in 
favor  of  t'e  visiting  teacVier  work  and  he  is  ready  to  recomnend  that 
the  Board  of  Education  take  over  the  visiting  teacher  tirork,  providing 


72 


there  is  some  assuranoe  that  the  sarae  mistakes  vlll  not  he  repeated* 

The  etiidy  has  i^evealed  the  following  farorable  reasone  for 

continuing  the  work: 

(1)  A  school  of  six  Imndrod  adolescent  terra   and  girls 
with  an  environnent  not  conducive  to  ideal  school  con- 
ditions has  many  pupils  vho  are  out  of  adjustraent  and  need 
the  attention  of  soms  one  who  is  trained  in  dealing  with 
problem  children. 

(2)  A  careful  diagnosis  of  the  one  hundred  five  cases 
reported  by  the  principal  and  the  teacher  showed  that  the 
underlying  difficulties  "srere  varied  and -in  many  instances 
the  pupils  ■sere  suffering  from  ccuse  entirely  different  fro- 
those  noted  by  tiie  principal  and  the  teachers*   Has  showB 
the  inability  of  untrained  individuals  in  dealing  ?riLth 
problem  cases.   'It>o  often  they  misjudge  the  "onderlying  oavse 
of  the  difficalty. 

(3)  Sixty  six  and  ttro   thirds  percent  of  the  oases 
referred  to  tie  visiting  teacher  sliowed  sone  degree  of 
inproveoent.   A  greater  percent  of  those  reported  in 
t:eir  pre-delinqueney  shooed  in^ovement  than  did  those 
who  were  reported  after  tliey  hod  becorne  delinquent* 

(4)  Tiie  influence  of  the  visiting  teacher  created  a 
watchfulness  anong  the  teachers  who  sought  out  pre-delinque; 
cases  and  in  many  instances  re-established  them  isithin  o 

6?  ort  tine- 
Co)  'tore  hcKaee  wor«  visited  and  brought  into  olose 
relationship  with  the  school  during  the  demonstration  than 
was  possible  before  the  visiting  teacher  seznrice  'eras 
inaugu]:*ated« 

(6)  The  visiting  teaolier  was  able  to  bring  the  civic 
agencies  of  the  comainity  into  cooperation  ■eritli  the  school 
in  dealing  with  pupils* 


( «p 


(7)  The  demonstration  proved  that  the  vieiting 
teacher  work  is  not  a  field  for  a  novice,  because  the 
visiting  teacher  nust  be  able  to  "arsliol  the  social  and 
eduootionel  forces  both  within  the  school  and  vdthin  the 
comaunity  for  clear  and  specific  pjrposes. 

(8)  The  principal  and  the  teachers  do  not  have  the 
tir«  aner%kill  to  deal  .vlth  difficult  probleras  that  nust 
be  solved  t!:rough  hone  visitation. 

(9)  A   health  nurse  is  employed  to  look  r.fter  Hie 
health  of  the  pupils  but  the  visiting  teacher  found  eleven 
pupils  v7ho  v<-ere  suffering  from  physical  ailments  and  had 
never  been  reported  to  the  nurse. 

(10)  EHvironnental  influences  that  affect  the  child's 
attitude  towards  Mraself ,  tormrds  others,  and  tovmrds  the 
opportunities  and  obstacles  of  life  should  be  so  directed 
that  useful  citizenship  and  right  living  are  the  nornal 
outgroerth.   "E-ie  visiting  teacher  can  have  a  big  part  in 
bringing  this  about. 

(11)  Ihe  majority  of  tlie  teachers  who  worked  with 
this  program  have  asked  for  its  continuance.    Ihey  know 
what  it  did,  and  place  much  faith  in  its  future. 

(12)  Dr.  Kudd  made  an  investigation  of  th«  work  and 
pronounced  it  a  credit  to  the  school. 

(13)  Superintendent  J.n.  Gowans  not  only  recomnendet' 
that  the  work  be  taken  over  by  the  school  but  also  asked 
for  an  additional  trained  visiting  teacher. 


74 


BIBLIOGBAPii; 


1.  Oppen^iei'"®"'*  «^li^is   Joi^^a 

The  Visiting  Teacher  UoVTOient  with  Special  Referenoe 
to  Ai^nistrative  Relationship*.  (Thesis.  Teachers ' 
College*  Columbia  University) • 

2.  Culbert,  Jeuie  ?• 

Ihe  "^sitixig  Teacher  (Pamphlet) 

3.  Sales,  Uary  B« 

The  ProblsBi  Child  in  School. 
4*     (Hueok,  Berziardf  M.B. 

Some  Bxtra-Curricular  Problasas  of  the  Class  Eooa  (Pamphlet) 
5*     KLlis,  ^hel  Brova 

The  Visiting  Teacher  in  Boohoster  . 

6.  HationeLl  Confareacs  of  Cb-arities  and  Corrections-Proceedings,  1916: 

Pages   592-598. 

7.  True,  H.  "Work  of  the  Visiting  Teaoher,"  in  M.E.A. Journal  of 

Proceedings  aiKl  Addresses,  1916.     Pp.  856-858. 

8.  Hodge,  L.  li.  H 

"Why  a  Visiting  Toachert"     in  M.  E.  A.  Joxirnal  of  Addresses  and 
Proceedings,  1917.     Pp.  223-226. 

9 .  Brinkneyer 

QLsciplinary  Methods  in  Ifl-gh  School    (Thesis). 

10.  Xnglis 

Principles  of  Secondary  Sducation. 

9 

11.  Cubberly,   Dr.SLwood 

The  Principal   anu  l&s  School. 


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12 .  Woodworth 

Cyneunie  Psychology. 
13  *  Gates 

Psychology  for  Students  of  Education. 


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